Colorado Springs Police plan to arrest man for assaulting nurses, mother blames brain injury

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A Colorado Springs mother is in disbelief, as her 22-year-old son faces multiple felony assault charges for allegedly injuring nurses while resisting being restrained at a local hospital. Colorado Springs Police say they have a warrant to arrest that man as soon as he's medically cleared, but the mother claims that a brain injury which landed her son in the hospital, is what caused him to act irrationally.

22-year-old Lennon Duncan has dealt with seizures daily, since he suffered a stroke in 2017. He is currently at UC Health Memorial Central hospital in a medically induced coma, with swelling around his brain, as doctors work to figure out what caused the symptoms.

It all dates back to Thursday, July 11, when Lennon began speaking to his mother, Brandi, in sentences that didn't make sense.

"I asked him if he was okay, and he said In my nose?" explained Brandi Duncan, Lennon's mother and registered CNA caregiver for the last five years.

Brandi says she brought her to son to UC Memorial North Hospital that day. The staff there chose to restrain Lennon for brain scans, since he has a history of seizures and patients must remain still for imaging.

Brandi says, that since his symptoms worsened, and he was in a disoriented state, it led to her son getting scared and resisting hospital staff.

"He can get a little aggressive  and combative, which is normal for stroke survivors and  dementia patients and things." she said.

But then, with Brandi in the room, things escalated.

"Lennon had spit and made a motion to try to strike back, and one of the nurses yelled, 'That's a charge.' and I asked, what are you talking about? He's having a stroke." explained Brandi.

She says they then kicked her out of the room, and later sent she and Lennon home, citing the symptoms as a psychotic break.

UCHealth, in an emailed statement addressed the incident:

"As you probably know, violence against health care workers has become a major issue in hospitals and clinics across the country. Each and every day, UCHealth works to protect our staff members and providers from violence."

UCHealth Spokesperson, on the incident.

Brandi refused to accept the diagnosis and called 9-1-1 to have her son brought to UCHealth Memorial Central that same night.

It was there she learned her son had Encephalitis, or swelling around parts of his brain. His condition deteriorated and he has now been left intubated and in a medically induced coma, to try and let his brain rest from the activity and any future seizures.

It was the next day, however that she says she learned even more shocking news, that her son was going to be charged for three counts of felony assault from the incident.

"That came out of left field and added a whole new set of emotions to the cycle." said Brandi.

A Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) spokesperson confirmed the incident from July 11, 2024, and confirmed a warrant was signed on July 12, for the three counts of felony assault, and that Lennon would be arrested as soon as he is cleared by the hospital to leave.

Brandi says, she was stunned, and tried to plead her case to the department.

"I explained my son's medical condition to the detective. The possible prognosis [of Encephalitis], along with the fact that he already has severe brain damage, and I was informed that that does not matter." said the mother.

However, criminal defense lawyer Jeremy Loew tells KRDO13, these kinds of situations absolutely call for evidence such as her son's medical history to be included in the criminal process.

"It sounds to me in this case that we may have had the act [of a crime], but it wasn't voluntary. It wasn't something that he knew he was doing. He wasn't acting to try and intentionally hurt these people. He didn't have the mental capacity because of the swelling in his brain to intentionally do something." explained Loew, who says the 4th Judicial District Attorney's office ultimately has the final say in determining if charges are appropriate or necessary.

Brandi is just hoping that her son, makes it out of the coma successfully and healthy, and that by then, the charges are dismissed.

"Seeing your only child like that is... it's like your heart gets ripped out of your body, and you feel helpless." she said.

Brandi explained that Wednesday will conclude a five day stretch of trying to use steroids to lower the swelling in her son's brain, which has been mildly effective in doing so. She says the next step would be a potential plasma exchange to help reset his immune system.

"I know he's still in there now and he can make it through this."

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