The ultimate cruelty might be the abuse heaped on disabled adults who are living in a care facility.
These facilities should provide around-the-clock care for those who can’t care for themselves. There is supposed to be a covenant between the staff and the residents where the staff provides support as prescribed in the care plan.
A recent investigation from the Missouri Independent finds that the standard of care has been broken in hundreds if not thousands of cases.
As reported in the story, “from 2017 through 2023, roughly 2,680 people with developmental disabilities died under the care of the state of Missouri – on average of one person a day.” While many of these deaths can be attributed to natural causes, many of the deaths were directly caused by staff negligence.
In one case cited in the story, it led to criminal charges and jail time for the abusers.
What’s incredibly upsetting is that with each subsequent tragic abuse story reported, nothing seems to change. This is why, as the primary caregiver for your loved one who is living in a care facility, you always have to be on alert for any signs of abuse or neglect.
A Sad Case
Although plans are put into effect to correct the instances of neglect, the abuse continues. Consider the sad case of Carl DeBrodie. In 2017, Carl, who suffered from developmental disabilities, was living in a home operated by Second Chance Homes. The state contracted this private care agency to provide care for certain Missouri residents.
One night, the caretakers discovered Carl convulsing and bleeding from the nose. Instead of calling 911 as they should, they put him in a bathtub and left him under running water.
Somewhere in the night, Carl died.
After a preliminary investigation found many irregularities with Carl’s prescribed care, the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit. That expanded the investigation and uncovered a long period of abuse suffered by Carl. Because of his disabilities, he was unable to report what was happening to him.
Several parties were named as defendants in the lawsuit, including the state, Second Chance Homes, the caretakers, and several others. The result was an undisclosed settlement with the family, civil rights, and obstruction charges brought against two of Carl’s caretakers.
They were found guilty in criminal court and sentenced to over 15 years in jail.
As a result of this highly publicized death, there were calls for reform in the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council. This is a federally funded council appointed by the governor to advocate for people with developmental disabilities.
As reported in the story, the Council issued the following statement: “The Council has been following Carl DeBrodie’s story and has high expectations that once all investigations are completed, there will be justice for Carl and that necessary systemic changes will be implemented so that others may avoid such a gruesome death and lived experience.”
Those systematic changes were never implemented despite the attention and call for reform. That is a prime example of why families who have loved ones in care facilities need to be on constant alert for those signs of potential abuse.
Filing a Complaint
If you have a loved one with developmental disabilities who is residing in a nursing care facility, it is important to make sure their care plan is up to date. Several instances were cited in the news story about residents who choked on food they weren’t supposed to be eating.
If you feel as though your loved one’s plan isn’t being properly enacted, you are entitled to file a complaint with the facility and the state agency that oversees that facility. In Missouri, that would be the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. In Illinois, you can file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Public Health.
You can also seek guidance from the Thomas Law Offices. We are a dedicated attorney firm specializing in nursing home abuse complaints. We have extensive experience holding these facilities accountable and seeking fair compensation for the family’s losses. If you suspect a problem, let’s talk.
Don’t wait until it is too late.
Who We Are
Reviews
