SPOKANE, Wash – A mother’s grief echoes through empty hospital corridors as she seeks answers about how her 12-year-old daughter, who was supposed to be under close supervision, managed to leave her room and jumped to her death from a hospital parking garage.
“The death of Sarah, it took a part of me. I know I’ll be strong for my other five kids that I have, but I’m not going to be the same,” said Nasra Gertrude, mother of Sarah June Niyimbona.
To Nasra, Sarah wasn’t just another patient in the system – she was her “best friend,” her shadow, her sidekick who was rarely far from her mother’s side.
“She loved to go with me everywhere. As soon as I leave the house, ‘Mom, can I come with you?’ So, she was very close to me,” Gertrude said.
But beneath the surface of a seemingly happy child who enjoyed dancing and mastering TikTok trends, Sarah was struggling with serious mental health issues that she initially kept hidden from her family.
Gertrude discovered her daughter’s journal, where Sarah had written: “I’m so unhappy these past few days… sleeping in and feeling fat.”
The first visible sign of trouble came in mid-October when Gertrude noticed Sarah wrapping her right arm with a scarf, attempting to hide evidence of self-harm. What began as occasional cutting quickly escalated in both frequency and severity.
“Then it continued from cutting to big cuts. It was like graduating from every two weeks to every week,” Gertrude explained.
As Sarah’s condition worsened, the cutting evolved into suicide attempts. She was first taken to Sacred Heart Hospital and eventually admitted to Inland Northwest Behavioral Health (INBH). This began a cycle of hospitalizations that would continue for months.
“She spent like eight times in the hospital, from the hospital to INBH, from INBH to home,” Gertrude said.
Throughout her treatment, Sarah maintained hope for normalcy. In another journal entry, she wrote: “Today my big sister came and visited me. I was happy and we had a great time. Hopefully I see my brother Isaiah. I miss him so much. Literally, I can’t wait until I go somewhere other than Sacred Heart.”
By February, it became clear to Gertrude that home wasn’t where Sarah would get the help she needed. She took her daughter back to Sacred Heart Hospital, where staff assured her of comprehensive safety measures.
“When I see her in the hospital, thank God she’s in safe hands. I don’t have to worry about her attempting anything,” Gertrude recalled thinking at the time.
The hospital had implemented what seemed like a thorough safety plan for Sarah. “There will be a nurse checking on her every 15 minutes. But also, we will put the alarm at the door. If she opens it, we can hear her open the door. And you see there’s a nurse station, there’s people here, so she’s safe,” Gertrude said, recounting the hospital’s promises.
Despite these safeguards, on April 13, the unthinkable happened. The hospital called Gertrude to inform her that Sarah had left her room, ridden the elevator, crossed a sky bridge, and made her way to the fourth floor of the parking garage, where she jumped.
Sarah survived the initial fall but suffered catastrophic injuries. By the time Gertrude reached her daughter’s room, medical staff were desperately trying to save her.
“I can see the machine. The beeping stopped. It was all three straight lines. I knew my daughter was gone, right there. I just waited for them to tell me,” Gertrude said.
Healthcare workers eventually confirmed what Gertrude already knew – Sarah had died.
After the tragedy, Gertrude says she still hasn’t received adequate explanations about how her daughter managed to leave her room undetected and make it all the way to the parking garage despite the promised safety protocols.
“I need them to answer me. Sarah did not want to die, she did not want to die,” Gertrude insists.
For Gertrude, the lack of information compounds her grief. She believes the healthcare system failed her daughter at the most critical moment.
“They failed me. They failed Sarah. They failed Sarah’s family,” she said.
Sarah’s grave remains unmarked – no headstone, no inscription, just flowers that are fading away. Her mother continues to seek answers about how a system designed to protect vulnerable children could have allowed such a tragedy to occur.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the Niyimbona family with medical bills and funeral costs.
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If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, available 24 hours a day.
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