Family sues over Iowa woman’s death after hernia surgery, alleging post-op neglect

Laura Belt, 46, died in May 2024 from complications tied to a bowel perforation and sepsis after a routine hernia repair at Decatur County Hospital. Her family contends nurses dismissed signs of infection and ongoing bowel drainage as normal, delaying treatment. They filed medical malpractice lawsuits against surgeon Dr. Edwin Wehling and two nurses, Brandi Oesch and Tammy Roberts, with the Iowa Board of Medicine also charging Wehling with incompetency; a disciplinary hearing is set for September and a civil trial is scheduled for August 23.