The family of a Queens mom who died 36 hours after entering the hospital for postpartum depression is demanding the state investigate what happened.
Denise Williams, who was 29 with a newborn and a 3-year-old, died at Queens Hospital Center at 6:48 a.m. Aug. 30 after being admitted late on the night of Aug. 28, family lawyer Abe George told The Post.
Autopsy results released Thursday showed Williams died of a pulmonary embolism — a blood clot that traveled to her lungs. Obesity was a contributing factor, said the city medical examiner, who ruled the death “natural.”
The family is asking the M.E.’s office to “expeditiously release the autopsy report to our family so we can have our own independent medical examiner verify the cause of Denise’s death.”
“We are also demanding the NYS Department of Health look into Denise’s case and examine the larger picture of why black and brown mothers are eight times more likely to die from pregnancy complications than their white counterparts,” the family said in a statement released by George.
George said Williams’ sister called the DOH Friday to ask for the probe.
A state DOH spokeswoman told The Post “the complaint is currently under investigation,” but would not comment further.
The city’s Health + Hospitals system, which runs Queens Hospital, said it had “expressed our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. We are committed to quality, equitable and safe care for every patient and will continue to work with the family as appropriate.”
Williams’ family started a GoFundMe campaign to help her daughters, Avyanna and Adalee.