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Fox News
6 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Family hires attorney after man's tragic MRI accident involving 20-pound chain
The family of a man who died in a freak MRI-related accident in New York last week appears poised to file a lawsuit over the incident. Keith McAllister, 61, suffered three heart attacks after being pulled into the magnetic force of an MRI at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury last week, and died. He was wearing a 20-pound chain at the time of the incident. Now, his family has hired an attorney to "ensure accountability" stemming from the incident, according to the New York Post. The family has reportedly retained attorney Michael Lauterborn of Smith, Cheung and Lauterborn, PC. "This heartbreaking incident highlights the critical importance of safety protocols in medical imaging facilities," Lauterborn reportedly said. "The family and our legal team are dedicated to assisting the appropriate authorities in their investigation and in efforts to ensure accountability and prevent similar tragedies in the future." McAllister's widow, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, was undergoing a knee scan at the time of the accident. According to the couple's daughter, Samantha Bodden, the MRI technician allegedly left the room to track down McAllister and asked him for assistance, but did not warn him of the danger of wearing metal near the machine. After initial reports that McAllister entered the room on his own and was not authorized to be there, Bodden clarified that he was in fact invited in. "Several news stations are saying he wasn't authorized to be in the room when, in fact, he was because the technician went and brought him into the room," Bodden wrote. Bodden said she and Jones-McAllister attempted to free McAllister from the machine before finally calling the police for help. Fox News Digital reached out to Smith, Cheung and Lauterborn, PC and to Nassau Open MRI for comment.
Fox News
22-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Family reveals shocking details of what really happened in fatal Long Island MRI accident
The family of a Long Island man who tragically died in a freak MRI-related accident is claiming that the technician is at fault for their loved one's death. The incident occurred at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury on Wednesday afternoon, where Keith McAllister, 61, was pulled into the machine by its powerful magnetic force and remained stuck for nearly an hour before being freed. McAllister had accompanied his wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, who was undergoing a knee scan at the facility. According to their daughter, Samantha Bodden, the MRI technician left the room during the procedure to get McAllister to assist his wife, but failed to warn him about the danger of wearing metal near the machine. Bodden also addressed media reports suggesting McAllister shouldn't have been in the room, clarifying that the technician had invited him in. "Several news stations are saying he wasn't authorized to be in the room when in fact, he was because the technician went and brought him into the room," Bodden wrote. In a GoFundMe post set up to raise funds for funeral expenses, Bodden wrote that the magnetic field instantly pulled him in due to the chain he was wearing. She detailed that both her mother and the technician tried unsuccessfully to free McAllister before calling the police for assistance. "My mother and the tech tried for several minutes to release him before the police were called," Bodden wrote. "He was attached to the machine for almost an hour before they could release the chain from the machine." Jones-McAllister detailed her last moments with her husband in an interview shared by 'The Big Weekend Show.' "I said, 'Could you turn off the machine, call 9-1-1, do something, just turn this damn thing off?' I'm just, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole thing. He waved goodbye to me and his whole body went limp," Jones-McAllister described. Bodden said that her dad passed away on July 17, losing his battle after "having several heart attacks following the tragic accident." The Nassau County Police Department said the investigation is ongoing. Nassau Open MRI told Fox News Monday morning that they had no comment. MRI machines generate intense magnetic fields that can attract and heat up metal objects, creating serious hazards. Nassau Open MRI states on its website that anything metallic should be removed prior to an MRI, including hearing aids, partial plates, dentures, jewelry and hair pins. On a web page detailing the benefits and risks of MRIs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notes that "the strong, static magnetic field will attract magnetic objects (from small items such as keys and cell phones, to large, heavy items such as oxygen tanks and floor buffers) and may cause damage to the scanner or injury to the patient or medical professionals if those objects become projectiles." The FDA also notes that "adverse events" related to MRI scans are "very rare." Kenneth J. Perry, M.D., an emergency medicine attending physician in Charleston, South Carolina, told Fox News Digital that the best way to prevent these types of accidents is to have a "robust MRI protocol" in place. Fox News Digital reached out to Nassau Open MRI requesting comment. Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Family of man killed in MRI horror reveal he was trapped inside machine for nearly an hour
The New York man who died after being sucked into an MRI machine was jammed inside for about an hour, his horrified family has claimed. Keith McAllister, 61, of Long Island, was fatally injured the Wednesday freak accident while he was trying to help his wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, off an MRI table at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury. Adrienne had been getting imaging done on her knee. Once it was complete, the technician left the room to get Keith so he could help his wife get up, according to a GoFundMe created by Adrienne's daughter Samantha Bodden. But Keith was wearing a 20-pound chain - which he was allegedly never told to remove before approaching the screening machine, the GoFundMe states. '[The technician] forgot to inform him to take the chain he was wearing from around his neck off when the magnet sucked him in,' Bodden wrote. While speaking out about the gut-wrenching moment, Adrienne recalled to News 12: 'I saw him walk toward the table and then the machine just snatched him. He went limp in my arms - and this is still pulsating in my brain. Keith's panicked wife and the employee allegedly tried to pull him out of the machine for several minutes before the police were called. Keith was 'attached to the machine for almost an hour before they could release the chain,' Bodden explained. The following day, Keith died at the hospital after having 'several heart attacks' related to the harrowing incident. Just as Bodden wrote on the fundraiser page, Adrienne has asserted the technician was well aware Keith was wearing a chain. She alleged the worker allowed her husband into the room despite the piece of jewelry, which had been worn on previous visits to the same facility. 'That was not the first time that guy had seen that chain. They'd had a conversation about it before,' she said. Bodden has also refuted reports that Keith was not allowed to enter the MRI room, reiterating the sentiment that he was invited in by the allegedly forgetful employee. 'Several news stations are saying he wasn't authorized to be in the room when in fact he was because the technician went and brought him into the room,' Bodden wrote. Police are investigating the incident, but do not believe any foul play was involved. Authorities have claimed Keith did not have authorization to enter the room. Daily Mail approached management at Nassau Open MRI for comment. MRI machines generate strong magnetic fields and radio waves to create detailed internal images of the human body. The magnetic pull of MRIs are so strong that it is capable of flinging a wheelchair across the room, according to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. When undergoing on MRI procedure, patients are generally asked to remove all jewelry and piercings to remain safe. People with certain medical implants are unable to go into an MRI machine at all. This generally includes people with cochlear implants, blood vessel stents, cardiac defibrillators and pacemakers. Keith's GoFundMe has already raised about $6,600 towards funeral expenses. 'Keith was a husband, a father, a stepfather, a grandfather, a brother, and an uncle. He was a friend to many,' Bodden wrote.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Man Killed in MRI Accident While Wearing Chain Was Attached to Machine for Nearly an Hour, Family Claims
The family of a man who died after being sucked into an MRI machine is sharing new heartbreaking details about what happened. The incident occurred just after 4:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, July 16, when a 61-year-old man, later identified as Keith McAllister, entered an MRI room during a scan in Westbury, N.Y. "The male victim was wearing a large metallic chain around his neck causing him to be drawn into the machine which resulted in a medical episode," the Nassau County Police said in a statement. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition but died the next day, police added. His wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, told News 12 Long Island she was with her husband when it happened. "He went limp in my arms," Jones-McAllister said, 'and this is still pulsating in my brain.' She told the station she'd had an MRI on her knee and called for the technician to let her husband in to help her get back up afterward. The outlet reported the technician allowed McAllister inside even though he was wearing a 20-lb. weight-training chain around his neck. 'In that instant, the machine switched him around, pulled him in and he hit the MRI," she told the outlet. She and the technician tried to pull him away but were unsuccessful. 'I was saying, 'Could you turn off the machine? Call 911. Do something. Turn this damn thing off!' ' Jones-McAllister said, adding separately, "That was not the first time that guy has seen that chain. They had a conversation about it before." Patients are typically asked to remove any metal and electrical objects from their person before undergoing an MRI. According to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, MRI machines use powerful magnets to scan bodies for diseases and ailments while producing images of 'non-bony parts or soft tissues.' In a GoFundMe set up to support her mother, Samantha Bodden claimed that her mom and the MRI technician spent several minutes trying to free him themselves before police were called — but McAllister remained attached to the machine "for almost an hour before they could release the chain from the machine." According to both Bodden and Jones-McAllister, he died the following day after experiencing "several heart attacks following the tragic accident." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Bodden went on to remember McAllister as a "husband, a father, a stepfather, a grandfather, a brother, and an uncle" as well as a friend to many." "He was on a fixed income from social security and didn't have much. So at this time, my mother is asking for help with expenses to help bury him," she continued, adding that "anything will help and is very much appreciated." As of Monday, July 21, nearly $7,000 has been raised. Reached over the phone, a representative for the Nassau County Police Public Information Office said they have no additional information to release at this time beyond the department's initial statement, noting the Nassau County Medical Examiner will complete a report about McAllister's death. A representative for Nassau Open MRI, where the incident occurred, could not immediately be reached for a comment or clarification about McAllister's access to the room. Read the original article on People
Fox News
21-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Never enter an MRI machine with any of these hazardous items, experts warn
Preparing for a successful MRI screening involves more than just lying still. Certain materials can interact with the strong magnetic field of an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine, so what you wear — or don't wear — is essential. A recent fatal incident in Westbury, New York, at Nassau Open MRI, involved a man being sucked into an MRI machine due to a heavy metal chain he wore around his neck. The man, 61, entered the room during his wife's scan. He was drawn into the machine by his necklace, which "resulted in a medical episode," according to a press release from the Nassau County Police Department. The man was transported to a local hospital on July 16 and died the next day due to his injuries, the release stated. Nassau Open MRI states on its website that anything metallic should be removed prior to entering the machine, including hearing aids, partial plates, dentures, jewelry and hair pins. Multiple practices and agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), warn that the "strong, static magnetic field" of an MRI machine will attract magnetic objects. Small items like keys and cellphones — as well as large, heavy items like oxygen tanks and floor buffers — may "cause damage to the scanner" or injure the patient or medical professionals if those objects "become projectiles," the FDA cautioned. Iowa Carver College of Medicine's Magnetic Resonance Research Facility published MRI safety guidelines, noting that the magnet is always on, and only cleared patients and professionals are permitted to enter. The following list of items should not be brought into an MRI screening, according to multiple experts and medical facilities. Florida-based Precision MRI Group warned on its website that patients should avoid clothing and wearables that include metal, as this interaction can cause "burns, malfunctions in the machine or compromised image quality." Loose-fitting cotton or linen clothing, pajamas and nightgowns are all permissible attire for an MRI, according to the above source. Items like compression wear, tight-fitting spandex and clothing with metal embellishments should be avoided. "Some modern clothing brands incorporate metal fibers in their fabrics for anti-odor or antibacterial purposes," the group wrote. "While these innovations are helpful in daily life, they are dangerous in an MRI setting." ARA Diagnostic Imaging, a radiology practice with multiple locations in Texas, noted on its website that any implants or devices should be discussed with a doctor prior to an MRI. These include the medical devices and implants mentioned above, as well as others like artificial heart valves, ports, pumps, artificial limbs, metallic joint prostheses, metal pins, screws, plates, surgical staples, some IUDs and even shrapnel anywhere in the body. "Metallic objects in the body can have dangerous effects when placed in a magnetic field." Kenneth J. Perry, M.D., an emergency medicine attending physician in Charleston, South Carolina, reiterated in an interview with Fox News Digital the strength of MRI magnets, noting how hospital gowns, monitoring devices and even stretchers are free of metal around MRI machines. "People should remember to mention any implantable device to the MRI tech," he said. "Patients who have pacemakers should bring their pacemaker card with them, as it will have information about safety protocols to have an MRI." Perry added, "Nerve stimulators are also sometimes MRI-compatible and should have information cards that can be presented to the MRI tech." It's "very important to answer appropriately" when asked by an MRI tech if you're wearing jewelry or have piercings, the doctor advised. Patients should also leave their wallets out of the room, Perry noted, as many of them are magnetic. For more Health articles, visit "It can also be detrimental to your cards, as the magnet is strong enough to wipe the magnetic strip on the back of debit and credit cards," he cautioned. Fox News Digital reached out to Nassau Open MRI requesting comment.
