A D.C. fire lieutenant who last year was accused of botching a response to a choking toddler who died has been found guilty of neglect, fined $5,000 and demoted in rank, according to two officials familiar with the case.
The attorney for the father of the 18-month-old said his client would have preferred that the firefighter, 28-year veteran Guy Valentine, been fired, but understands that he got the most severe punishment possible for a charge of neglect of duty.
Still, the attorney and the father, José Cuesta, an economist with the World Bank, lashed out at the District on Friday for refusing to officially make public the outcome of the disciplinary hearing, which they and a member of the media were allowed to attend.
Doug Buchanan, spokesman for the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, would not confirm that the hearing examiners had reached a decision, nor would he discuss any outcome. “This is a personnel matter about which we cannot comment,” he said in a statement.