The lengthy wait time forced Tashonna to try her luck at another facility. However it was too late as she collapsed and was unable to be revived. Photo / Supplied
"She collapsed and was not able to be revived," Ms Ward's relative, Andrea wrote on a GoFundMe page.
"She was an amazing daughter, sister, cousin, niece and friend loved by all.
"Tashonna was always positive and she always put her family first. Her death was sudden and unexpected."
A preliminary chest X-ray showed Ms Ward had an enlarged heart but according to reports, she was never admitted.
Instead, she was left to wait in the lobby.
In a chilling Facebook post, the young woman wrote: "I really hope I'm not in this emergency room all night," as she waited at the hospital at 6.45pm.
"Idk what they can do about the emergency system at freodert but they damn sure need to do something,," she wrote nearly two hours later.
"I been here since 4:30 something for shortness of breath, and chest pains for them to just say it's a two to SIX hour wait to see a dr."
X-RAY SHOWS ENLARGED HEART
According to CBS News, Ms Ward's sister Brianna picked her up as they attempted to drive to another hospital, but Ms Ward lost consciousness in the car and paramedics were unable to revive the 25-year-old.
A report from the Milwaukee County medical examiner, obtained by CBS 58 this week, revealed Ms Ward was in the emergency room for two and a half hours with a chest X-ray showing she had cardiomegaly, an enlarged heart.
Froedtert Hospital told CBS 58 in a statement, "The family is in our thoughts and has our deepest sympathy. We cannot comment further at this time."
Dr Martha Gulati, the chief of cardiology at the University of Arizona, told CBS 58, emergency staff generally can under-appreciate heart risks in young women.
"Trying to make those judgments is not always the easiest thing in an emergency room," she said.
One of Tashonna's last chilling Facebook posts was about the poor waiting times at the hospital. Photo / Facebook
Dr Gulati said it's too early to pass final judgment on what happened, without more information.
The publication reported that data from 2017-19 shows Froedtert ER patients spend an average of three hours and 42 minutes there, before going home, if they're not admitted — which is an hour longer than the amount of time in the average Wisconsin hospital (two hours and 22 minutes).
Ms Ward's mother, Yolanda, is demanding answers from the hospital about the "unacceptable" wait time.
"I don't think they care," she told WDJT. "I'm sorry, but I really don't think they cared about my daughter. She should not have been waiting out there that long."
An X-ray revealed Tashonna has an enlarged heart but she was never admitted. Photo / Supplied
The Ward family and a lawyer were scheduled to meet with Froedtert Hospital's president last week, but a spokesman for the hospital told the publication the meeting never happened.
"At the request of the family, no meeting has occurred. We respect their wishes and privacy during this difficult time," the spokesman told CBS News on Friday. "They continue to be in our thoughts and have our deepest sympathy. Due to patient privacy laws, we cannot comment further at this time."
A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the family with funeral expenses.
Her heartbroken mother Yolanda Ward is now advocating to change protocols and legislation tied to long wait times in the emergency rooms. Photo / Supplied
"Please consider helping out her loved ones through this difficult time as they navigate this tragedy and move forward in life without her," the fundraising page read.
More than $4300 has so far been raised with money also going towards helping Ms Ward's mother change "protocols and legislation tied to long wait times in the ER".
Ms Ward has been described as an amazing daughter, sister, cousin, niece and friend loved by all.
"Tashonna was always positive and she always put her family first," GoFundMe page organiser Andrea wrote.
