Family of Brit, 37, who was ‘left to die alone’ in Vegas suing hotel and ambulance company

The heartbroken family of a British father who was ‘left to die alone’ in Las Vegas are suing the hotel where his body was found. 

William Howell, 37, was found dead in the Aria Casino Hotel in August 2023, almost 14 hours after he was last seen by staff returning to the hotel.

Mr Howell, who was a type one diabetic, was unable to board his flight back home to the UK after falling ill as he tried to get on the Virgin plane in August 2023.

Staff put Mr Howell, who is from Newton Abbot, Devon, in a wheelchair as a precautionary measure and called an ambulance.

Medics Alexandra Gangemi and Dominique Johnson arrived at 8.46pm and said he had high blood sugar, a lawsuit claims.

It is alleged in the legal documents, which the family has also filed against the ambulance company and crew, along with the hotel’s security, that the medics ‘spent no more than two minutes’ with Mr Howell before he signed a medical transport refusal form.

Thefiles also say the ambulance crew ‘did not properly inform’ Mr Howell of the ‘consequences of failing to seek attention’, they failed to ‘properly assess’ his mental capacity, did not ‘perform the proper testing’ and ‘did not follow policies and procedures’. 

Mr Howell took an Uber back to the Aria Casino Hotel and fell out of the vehicle upon arrival, according to the Mirror. 

He was issued a new key to the room he had been staying at before checking out earlier that day.

Security staff escorted him to the room, but then left him alone.

It is alleged that staff ignored the warning signs of Mr Howell’s condition, despite being informed he was diabetic.

The next day, Mr Howell’s wife, Emma, who was pregnant with the couple’s second child, Jack, waited for him at Heathrow Airport.

After he failed to arrive, relatives contacted the hotel and urged staff to check on him. 

At 12.44am, staff found Mr Howell dead in his room.

The cause of his death was recorded by the Las Vegas medical examiner as diabetic ketoacidosis. 

Mrs Howell and her sons, Louis and Jack, have now filed a five-count civil lawsuit in Nevada’s Eighth Judicial District Court, alleging gross negligence and wrongful acts which led to Mr Howell’s death. 

It is alleged that had Mr Howell received the correct care in the airport, or on his arrival at the hotel, or later in the evening, it is likely that he would have survived. 

The family is seeking damages for negligence, emotional distress, and financial losses. 

Metro has contacted MGM Resorts, the parent company of the hotel. Medics Alexandra Gangemi and Dominique Johnson, and Community Ambulance have applied to have the case against them dismissed. 

A hearing is set to take place on March 5.  

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