nursing home owners charged and jailed

[smk1, LPN]

the husband and wife owners of the st rita nursing home where 34 dead residents were found after Katrina, have been charged with 34 counts of negligent homicide. They surrendered and were jailed by authorities. each counts carries a 5 yr sentence. Apparently they were asked if they needed help and wanted to move the residents before the hurricane hit and they declined. i don't know how to link the article, but i just found it on Yahoo news. Maybe someone else can link it. Those people deserve every horrible thing that is coming to them!

[suzanne4, RN]

They are actually out on bond............

[VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN]

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9337631/

The owners are claiming that had they evacuated the residents, several would have died en route as they were on oxygen, had feeding tubes, etc. This argument is a poor excuse for inaction. There is a hospital in my vicinity which routinely evacuates its ventilator unit for each and every hurricane. The patients are trached and vented with G-tubes, etc., and are safely transported 35 miles inland each and every time without mishap. These owners are the worst of criminals and need to be held accountable for each and every death, especially since the patients were so helpless and vulnerable. 5 years in prison per resident is not long enough...