No criminal charges in nursing home investigation
By Curt Nettinga,
Hot Springs Star
June 09, 2009
After “a deliberate and thorough investigation,” Fall River County State’s Attorney Jim Sword said criminal charges will not be pursued in the case of alleged abuse of elders at Castle Manor Nursing Home in Hot Springs.
Sword in the release said the decision followed extensive interviews and reviews of medical records, consultations with an elder abuse expert and talks with families of the alleged abuse victims. “This office and the office of the Attorney General have determined that criminal charges are not warranted.”
Sword in March confirmed the state Division of Criminal Investigation was investigating accusations that a former male staff member at Castle Manor sexually molested several elderly female residents. No one was arrested in the case.
The controversy became public and resulted in several community meetings about the allegations and response by officials, including Fall River Health Systems, owners of the nursing home. The case drew the attention of Drew Bledsoe, founder of Perfect Cause, a national elder care advocacy group, who conducted some of the meetings.
Contacted by phone, Bledsoe said he continues to question the handling of the complaints.
“I guess that I would have concerns,” he said. “First, I have an issue that none of the alleged victims were interviewed, or that they didn’t have physical examinations performed. That should have been part of a thorough investigation.”
Calls to the Attorney General’s office and to Fall River Health Systems’ administrator John Miller were not immediately returned.
Abridged
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