Nov 3, 2009 6:36 pm US/Pacific
Murdered South Bay Student's Parents Get $29K Bill
SANTA CLARA (CBS 5 / AP) ―
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Scott Hawkins was killed on Oct. 21, 2009, inside a Sacramento State Dorm Room.
CBS
The Bay Area parents of a California State University, Sacramento student who was beaten to death by a dorm mate were still reeling with shock when they received another jolt.
Gerald and Elizabeth Hawkins said ten days after their son Scott died they got a bill sent to their Santa Clara home for $29,186.50 from UC Davis Medical Center.
The bill from the hospital details the hospital's effort to revive the 23-year-old student.
The parents said the bill also implied that they were indigent, saying they had not paid what they owed.
"It was just awful," Elizabeth Hawkins said.
Gerald Hawkins added, "I don't think there's any civilized country, anywhere in the world that would allow the parents of a murdered boy to receive a bill like this."
A spokeswoman for the hospital said the bill was a mistake -- it should have gone to an insurance company.
"Our hearts go out to the Hawkins family for the terrible grief and pain they are experiencing. We deeply regret that a clerical error caused them to receive a letter that brought even more distress," said a statement issued by UC Davis Medical Center.
"We have reviewed our system and strengthened our internal processes, which will prevent letters like these from going out improperly in the future," the statement said.
The suspect, 19-year-old Quran Jones, was hospitalized in fair condition. He was shot by police, and will likely be booked on charges of murder when he recovers.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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