(Riverton, WY) – The parents of a four-year-old Fremont County girl have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against SageWest Health Care and Riverton emergency physician Dr. Edward Zimmerman, claiming that negligent medical care contributed to their daughter’s death earlier this year.
The complaint, filed in Fremont County District Court by Geoffrey NormanLeier (acting as the wrongful death representative of his daughter, Charlotte) and Charlotte’s mother, Zareesha, alleges that failures by hospital staff and Dr. Zimmerman resulted in delays in recognizing and treating a life-threatening condition. The family is represented by attorneys Jason Neville and Jacob Lewis of The Spence Law Firm.
According to the complaint, Charlotte became ill on Jan. 7, 2026, with flu-like symptoms and was taken to her pediatrician, Dr. Michael Fisher. The lawsuit states that after Dr. Fisher was unable to obtain an oxygen saturation reading and became concerned about her condition, he directed the family to the emergency department at SageWest Riverton. (It should be noted that Dr. Fisher was not named in the complaint for any wrongdoing.)
The lawsuit states Charlotte arrived at the emergency room at approximately 9:30 a.m. and was evaluated by Dr. Zimmerman shortly afterward, where she tested positive for Influenza A and exhibited a rapid heart rate and elevated respiratory rate throughout the day. The family alleges that repeated attempts to start an intravenous line and obtain blood samples were unsuccessful for several hours, delaying treatment, and that the hospital lacked pediatric monitoring equipment in its emergency department, instead using an adult cardiac monitor.
According to the filing, blood drawn around 2 p.m. revealed a “critically elevated lactate level,” which the complaint states was not communicated to Charlotte’s family. The lawsuit further claims that before reviewing those laboratory results, Dr. Zimmerman told the family Charlotte would likely be able to go home within about 30 minutes because he did not expect the bloodwork to reveal significant problems. Hospital staff later informed the family that they instead believed Charlotte would need to be admitted.
The complaint states that by approximately 5:30 p.m., Dr. Fisher and Dr. Zimmerman agreed Charlotte required care beyond what SageWest Riverton could provide, and arranged for her transfer to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora. While preparations for an air transfer were underway, the lawsuit informs that Charlotte became unresponsive, suffered cardiac arrest, and could not be revived despite CPR and other life-saving measures. She was pronounced deceased at 6:53 p.m. on Jan. 7.
The lawsuit goes on to state that Charlotte died from complications related to Influenza A, sepsis, and organ failure and contends that earlier recognition and treatment would have prevented her death. The complaint accuses Dr. Zimmerman of failing to properly diagnose, monitor, and treat Charlotte’s condition, and that he failed to meet the accepted standard of care for patients presenting with sepsis or septic shock. The filing also alleges SageWest Health Care was negligent in its own operations, including hiring, training, supervision, and hospital policies, and seeks to hold the hospital vicariously liable for the actions of its employees or agents.
In addition to the wrongful death claims, the complaint includes a claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress on behalf of Zareesha NormanLeier, stating she suffered severe emotional trauma after witnessing her daughter’s medical decline, resuscitation efforts, and death. The plaintiffs also seek damages for funeral expenses, economic and relational losses, emotional distress, litigation costs, and any other damages allowed under Wyoming law. The complaint also requests punitive or exemplary damages if supported by the evidence.
A response to the complaint has not been filed at this time, and SageWest has not responded to County 10’s request for comment. Updates will be provided as they become available.