Family of Woman Sexually Assaulted at Fox River Pavilion Files Aurora Nursing Home Negligence Lawsuit
The family of a disabled nursing home patient is suing Fox River Pavilion for Illinois nursing home negligence. The resident was allegedly sexually assaulted by Sylvester Graves, who was also a patient at the Aurora assisted living facility.
According to the Aurora nursing home negligence complaint, the 39-year-old Graves, who is mentally ill and has been arrested on numerous occasions, beat and sexually assaulted the woman, who has dementia, while they were in his room. The lawsuit contends that the facility should have been closely watching Graves and/or restricting him. The family is also alleging inadequate security and failure to provide the proper treatment for Graves’s anti-social conduct.
Graves is in jail and charged with eight counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and criminal sexual assault and battery. He has prior convictions for theft and burglary.
Federal and state officials terminated funding to Fox River Pavilion. According to the state of Illinois, inadequate staffing and failure to properly treat and monitor mentally ill felons contributed to patient violence. Last year, another Fox River patient died from heart failure after his roommate attacked him.
Nursing Home Violence
Illinois nursing homes must properly screen prospective residents to determine whether they could pose a danger to other residents. In addition to protecting residents from Chicago, Illinois nursing home abuse and neglect, the facility must also protect them from patient violence.
The problem of nursing home patients inflicting harm on other residents is one that assisted living facilities, along with state and federal officials, must solve. Too many residents are becoming the victims of rape, physical assault, sexual assault, and other violent crimes because mentally ill or violent residents are being housed, without proper supervision and the appropriate restrictions, with the rest of the nursing home population.
Lawsuit over alleged nursing home sex assault, Chicago Tribune, March 29, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Nursing Home Safety Task Force, Illinois.gov
Compromised Care, Chicago Tribune
