Hartford Healthcare, which owns St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, does not owe indemnity in the death of Michael Mollow, who shot and killed ex-girlfriend Caroline Ashworth after he was released from the facility according to a recent decision from Hartford Superior Court.
The ruling is part of complex, years-long legal proceedings resulting from multiple lawsuits filed by Angela Ashworth, Caroline’s mother, seeking accountability from those she believes are culpable for her daughter’s death, and by Christopher Donlin, the administrator of Mollow’s estate.
According to Ashworth’s lawsuit, Caroline and Mollow met and began a relationship in late 2019 or early 2020. Caroline was approximately 18 years old when the relationship began, and Mollow was approximately 57 years old and married.
Over the course of their roughly three-year relationship, Mollow allegedly “increased his coercive control over Caroline.” The lawsuit also details several incidents with Branford police. After Caroline left the relationship, Mollow checked himself into a psychiatric facility over fears he would harm her if she returned. He was later placed under an involuntary hold.
According to Ashworth’s lawsuit, Mollow was discharged under his own care and, after being released, stalked Caroline, leading to the murder-suicide.
Donlin also filed a lawsuit alleging the town of Branford is responsible for Mollow’s wrongful death because its employees, including police, did not arrest Mollow despite responding to multiple domestic disturbance calls and did not remove his guns. It also sought damages against Mollow’s estate and against SVMC Holdings, Inc., which owns St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Westport, for releasing Mollow “prematurely” and failing to determine how he would act if he saw Caroline again.
Various corporations associated with Hartford Healthcare were also named in Donlin’s lawsuit, as well as several doctors who treated Mollow at St. Vincent’s. On December 4, 2024, doctors Nayla Hariz and Rouzi Sheneglia; Hartford Healthcare Corporation; Hartford Healthcare Medical Group, Inc.; and Hartford Healthcare Medical Group Specialists, PLLC submitted a motion to strike four counts in Ashworth’s complaint from the lawsuit on the grounds that “the counts fail to allege a cognizable cause of action for common law indemnification.”
In a revised complaint, Donlin made indemnification claims against SVMC Holdings; Hartford Healthcare Corporation; Hartford Healthcare Medical Group, Inc.; and Hartford Healthcare Medical Group Specialist, PLLC.
Though there are other claims against those entities for medical negligence and malpractice, the court found Donlin’s indemnification claims were legally insufficient. The ruling came in response to an attempt by Christopher Donlin, the executor of Mollow’s estate, to shift liability for Caroline’s death away from the estate and onto Hartford Healthcare by asserting, through common law indemnification, that they were negligent.
Donlin argued that due to Mollow’s mental state, he was not in control of his actions.
However, the court found that Donlin’s common law indemnification claim was legally deficient and must be stricken from the case, in part because Ashworth has filed an indemnification claim against Mollow’s estate.
Donlin also sought unsuccessfully to have Mollow’s estate dismissed from Ashworth’s lawsuit.
SVMC Holdings was also named as a defendant in Ashworth’s lawsuit, but the court granted a motion from St. Vincent’s to strike them, finding that, as Caroline was not a patient, there were no grounds for a malpractice claim.
Donlin’s and Ashworth’s lawsuits were consolidated for the purpose of discovery in October 2024. They are proceeding to trial separately. Ashworth later asked the court to enter a judgment against her on her claims against St. Vincent’s so that she could appeal the finding in court while the remainder of the lawsuit is adjudicated.
Ashworth’s lawsuit is scheduled for trial in May 2026 and Donlin’s lawsuit is scheduled for trial in August 2026.
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