State to review man's release from hospital before stabbings

(AP) — State officials planned to review the circumstances involving a man who fatally stabbed two people at a home and mall and injured several others hours after being released from a hospital where his family said he was taken while suicidal and depressed.

"Morton Hospital has been advocating for years that the state review and revise its policies that require outside third-party vendors to evaluate and determine the course of treatment for Medicaid patients in emergency departments," the statement said.

"If the state contracted agency responsible for conducting evaluations in the emergency department had requested an admission to a psychiatric bed, there were beds available within the hospital's network," it said.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts office of Health and Human Services said the agency was deeply saddened by the "senseless and tragic events" and would fully cooperate with the criminal investigation.