Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office Says Illinois Home Resident's Death May Have Been A Homicide
A Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office says that a nursing home resident may have been murdered. A spokesperson for the office says Thomas Donovan, 63, died because he sustained multiple injuries during an assault. He had a contusion on his face when he was taken to South Shore Hospital, and the nursing home supervisor at Burnham Terrace says that the elderly resident got into some sort of altercation while at the long-term care facility on the night that he died.
However, the coroner’s office is quick to caution that all possible causes of death are still being considered, especially as Donovan had diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.
Nursing Home Violence
Violent attacks targeting residents at US long-term care facilities, including Chicago nursing homes, continue to be a chronic problem, and our sick and elderly are suffering as a result. Sometimes, the attackers are nursing home workers. Other nursing home abuse incidents involve other perpetrators, such as visitors or other residents.
In another possible case of nursing home abuse, a nursing home aide was arrested for allegedly assaulting an 80-year-old nursing home resident. Per the arrest affidavit, another nursing home worker at the Castle Pines nursing home reportedly noticed that a resident whose bedroom door was closed had activated her help light.
The worker entered the room and saw nursing home aide Shondra Rodriguez striking the woman on her left hand. There was also blood on the bed.
Other staffers entered the room and saw that the patient's hands and arms had bruises. There was also a tear on the skin of her upper arm. Rodriguez reportedly admitted to “popping” the elderly resident, holding down her hands, and fighting with her.
A complaint was filed on March 23 after the nursing home’s director told police that someone had slapped an elderly patient’s hand.
Authorities investigating nursing home death, NWI.com, April 13, 2009
Police to question nursing home abuse suspect, KTRE.com, April 8, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Castle Pines Retirement Home
In Cook County, Illinois, contact our Chicago nursing home abuse law firm to request your free case evaluation.
