ten nurses who abruptly resigned from their jobs last year at a smithtown nursing center were charged yesterday - along with an attorney who advised them - with endangering children.
the nurses who work for avalon gardens rehabilitation and health center were accused of endangering six children ranging in age from 2 to 7 - four were on ventilators, one was on oxygen support and another was terminally ill - when they abandoned their posts april 7 at the end of their shifts, said suffolk county assistant district attorney leonard lato.
"you cannot walk out on disabled children who have nobody to call," lato said. "whatever their dispute, they could have said they intended to walk out in 24 hours. "
the nurses' sudden departure, he said, left the center scrambling for replacements on a friday evening. the action was spurred, their current attorney said, by complaints about pay and hours.
all 11 were charged with sixth-degree conspiracy, five counts of endangering the welfare of a child and six counts of endangering the welfare of a physically disabled person - all misdemeanors. vinluan also was charged with fifth-degree criminal solicitation, a misdemeanor.
all pleaded not guilty in suffolk county court in riverhead and were released. if convicted, they could face up to six years in prison and deportation.
. . .
the indictment says the same day the 10 nurses resigned, two nurses from split rock rehabilitation and health care center in the bronx and two nurses from bayview nursing and rehabilitation center in island park had also resigned; the day before, 10 nurses from brookhaven rehabilitation and health care center in far rockaway had resigned. all are owned by sentosa care. those nurses were not charged.
all 11 were charged with:
1 count of sixth-degree conspiracy;
5 counts of endangering the welfare of a child;
6 counts of endangering the welfare of a disabled person;
