Name of Victim: Matthew Edmonds
Age of Victim: 79
Sex of Victim: Male
What Is This Testimony About: Other Institutional Betrayal
State: FL
Name of Hospital(s), Nursing Home(s), Hospice, or other facilities victim was admitted to (List all that Apply): NCH Hospital, AVOW Hospice
Did the victim survive? No
Date of Death: 01/06/2022
Contact Name: Sibel Edmonds
Relationship to Victim: Wife
Was the victim a military Veteran? Yes
What Branch of the Armed Forces Did They Serve? Army
Was the victim considered special needs, or did they have any kind of disability? Yes
Was the victim admitted to the hospital? Yes
County Hospital is located in: Naples
Date Admitted: 01/03/2022
Was the victim isolated at any time during hospitalization? Yes
Does the victim or family feel they were treated differently by hospital staff as a result of disclosing their vaccination status? No
Was the victim or family pressured to sign a Do Not Resuscitate? Yes
Was the victim physically restrained? No
Was the victim deprived of food and water while in the hospital? Yes
Was victim placed on a ventilator? No
What medications were administered to the victim by doctors or hospital staff? Ativan, Lorazepam, Morphine, something for saliva
What medications did the hospital explicitly refuse to administer to the victim? Antibiotics, IV Hydration
Has this incident been reported to any agency such as VAERS, HHS, JACHO, CMS, Medical Board or others? Hospital Dr, Director of Hospital, FL Dept of Health, FL Dept Elder Affairs, FL Ombudsman for Elder Abuse
Place of Death: Hospice at the hospital
Would you be interested in participating in podcasts or other media? Yes
From Care to Silence: The Final Days of Matthew Edmonds
Matthew Edmonds was a 79-year-old Army veteran—a man who had served his country, lived a full life, and was deeply loved by his wife, Sibel. Like so many families, they entered the hospital system believing they were stepping into a place of healing and care. Instead, what unfolded over the course of just three days would leave Sibel questioning everything she thought she knew about the institutions entrusted with protecting life.
On January 3, 2022, Matthew was admitted to NCH Hospital in Naples, Florida. He was already vulnerable, with underlying health challenges, but what happened next was not simply the progression of illness—it was a rapid and alarming decline under conditions that raise serious concerns about how he was treated.
From the beginning, Matthew was isolated. Like countless others during this time, he was separated from his advocate—his wife—at the very moment he needed her most. Isolation meant Sibel could not witness his care firsthand, could not intervene, and could not ensure his basic needs were being met.
And those needs, according to her testimony, were not met.
Matthew was deprived of food and water. He was denied IV hydration.
Instead of supportive care to sustain him, the medications administered told a different story. He was given sedatives such as Ativan and Lorazepam, along with Morphine—drugs that suppress respiration and reduce awareness.
At the same time, treatments that could have supported his recovery—including antibiotics and hydration—were withheld.
For Sibel, watching from the outside, a devastating pattern emerged: her husband was not being nourished, not being strengthened, but instead was being chemically subdued while essential care was denied.
Then came another turning point—pressure to sign a Do Not Resuscitate order.
For families already under stress, such requests carry enormous weight. In Matthew’s case, it raised the question of whether decisions about his life were being influenced not by his condition alone, but by a system already moving toward an end-of-life outcome.
Within just three days of admission, Matthew was transferred into hospice care—still within the hospital setting.
Hospice, when properly chosen, can be a compassionate path. But when introduced under pressure, without full understanding, or in the absence of alternatives, it becomes something very different. It marks a shift—not toward healing—but toward resignation.
By January 6, 2022, Matthew Edmonds was gone. Three days. From hospital admission to death.
For Sibel, the speed of his decline, combined with the conditions of his care, left her with profound questions—questions she did not keep to herself. She reported what happened to multiple agencies, including hospital leadership, the Florida Department of Health, Elder Affairs, and the Ombudsman for Elder Abuse.
Like so many families, she was searching for answers, for accountability, and for acknowledgment that something was not right.
What makes Matthew’s story so deeply troubling is not just the outcome—it is the pattern. Isolation from family. Denial of basic sustenance. Heavy sedation. Pressure toward DNR status. Rapid transition to hospice. These elements appear again and again in testimonies from across the country, forming a consistent and deeply concerning picture of systemic failure.
Matthew Edmonds was not just a patient. He was a husband, a veteran, and a human being who deserved dignity, care, and the chance to fight for his life.
Instead, his final days were marked by silence, separation, and decisions that raise serious ethical and moral questions.
These are not isolated incidents. These are egregious crimes against humanity that must be stopped.
That is why organizations like Betrayal Project USA exist. Built by victims and survivors, the organization is committed to documenting these stories, exposing patterns of harm, and demanding accountability for what happened inside hospitals, hospices, and care facilities during this time.
They are giving families like Sibel’s a platform—not only to grieve, but to be heard. To ensure that their loved ones are not forgotten. To build a community of support among those who have experienced similar loss. And to push for the reforms necessary to ensure this never happens again.
Call to Action: If you or a loved one has been harmed by hospital protocols, hospice care, COVID-related policies, or medical interventions, your story matters. Please document your experience at betrayalprojectusa.org. Your voice could be the one that helps bring truth to light—and drives the accountability that these victims deserve.
