Nurses Say Youth Psych Patient Attacks Caused Spinal Injuries and Miscarriage
At the Independence Mental Health Institute (IMHI) in Iowa, three former nurses—Angie Timmerman, Olivia Berger, and Lora Smith—say their passion for mental health care was met not with support, but with violence and silence.
What began as fulfilling careers at a state-run facility, evolved into a fight for justice after the nurses say they were repeatedly assaulted by juvenile patients, with little to no intervention from leadership.
These brave nurses—both current and former—are taking a stand by filing legal claims.
Nurse Angie Timmerman Spinal Injury
Angie Timmerman, a 13-year veteran at IMHI, recalls one day in particular—August 18, 2024—as the turning point in her life.
“Nothing compares to what happened to me on this day.”
She had witnessed patient aggression before, but this time, she was the target.
“She took my hair and she ripped it out and she threw me to the floor. And then she foot stomped my head and neck multiple times.”
The 17-year-old girl responsible was nearly 300 pounds and struck first with a punch to the head. Angie suffered a spinal cord injury, requiring surgical fusion.
“Ultimately my injury was a spinal cord injury and I had a disc that was embedded into my spinal cord.”
Nurse Olivia Berger: “Four more times in four weeks…”
For Olivia Berger, the violence started on day one. “My first day there, I actually got punched by a boy.”
Within weeks, she was assaulted again—four more times, including a sexual assault.
“I suffered a concussion, a TBI (traumatic brain injury). I have hearing loss to my left ear because the second time he punched me, he punched me towards my ear.”
Her symptoms persist:
“I had floaters in my eyes. I am still working through my PTSD and anxiety and depression.”
Despite these injuries, she was expected to continue working due to staffing shortages. Faulty radios left her and others vulnerable:
“That’s your lifeline. You have an emergency button, they would not work, or they would send people to the wrong floor and you would have nobody.”
Nurse Lora Smith: “Ultimately we lost our son.”
Lora Smith’s story is a quiet devastation. On June 15, while she was four months pregnant through IVF, a 17-year-old patient attacked her from behind.
“He literally just comes up and kneed me in my stomach as hard as he can.”
The result was tragic:
“Ultimately we lost our son.”
His name was Levi. Even after the assault, Lora wasn’t sent for medical care:
“I was not sent out to be seen. I was asked to stay at work because the staffing numbers were so low they couldn’t afford to lose me.”
She reflects on how this changed her:
“I’m not the same mom. I’m not the same wife and not the same coworker, and it’s affected my whole life. I can’t walk into a store without crying.”
“When I see pregnant women, I’m angry at them for no reason and it’s selfish and I know that and I feel bad. I can’t help but feel like that.”
A System Ignoring Warnings
These nurses aren’t just telling their stories—they’re taking action. With attorneys Darin Luneckas and Robert Rehkemper, they’ve filed a claim under the Iowa Tort Claims Act, alleging gross negligence.
“This started with an inquiry to me about workers compensation and then it blossomed into what it is now,” said Luneckas.
The core allegation: systemic failure to protect staff from escalating violence by juvenile patients, often with no accountability.
“It’s only going to get worse unless the state steps up and admits what it’s doing wrong,” Luneckas warned.
“They don’t need to be like a maximum security prison... but if you’re going to be sending people who are in prison who can’t stand trial into a facility like MHI, it shouldn’t be ‘take the handcuffs off.’”
No Accountability, No Safety
The nurses tried to document their injuries using “green slips,” but even those disappeared.
“There is no carbon copy to this and they get lost,” said Smith.
“And then there’s no accountability on the State’s end.”
The team hopes their voices now act as the spotlight the system has avoided for too long.
“You want to see roaches run, shine the light on it,” said Rehkemper. “Watch what happens real quick.”
What They Want Now
These women are not seeking only justice for themselves—they want protection for those who are still working there.
“We want to make sure IMHI is safe for those who work there now and those who work there in the future.”
But for them, the scars—physical and emotional—will remain.
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