Three nurses have been charged with manslaughter and tampering with evidence in the deaths of 12 nursing home residents. The charges come after a 2 year criminal investigation and more arrests are expected.
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On Monday, August 26, 2019, three nurses turned themselves in on arrest warrants for the heat-related deaths of 12 nursing home residents. Eight people died on September 13, 2017, at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, after power-outages following Hurricane Irma caused temperatures to soar inside the facility. Several other residents died in the following weeks. The nursing home’s administrator was also charged. All four individuals are charged with manslaughter and tampering with evidence.
Hurricane Irma hit south Florida on Sunday, September 10, 2017, and caused extensive damage. A transformer, powering the facility’s air conditioning system, blew when a tree fell. The nursing home’s residents were moved to halls, next to fans and spot coolers in response to rising temperatures inside the facility. There were calls made between nursing home employees, state authorities and Florida Power and Light about the air conditioning failure. According to a report from then Gov. Rick Scott’s office, the state advised facility managers multiple times to call 911 if a situation placing a resident in danger arose. However, it was not until after the nursing home’s first 911 call reporting a person in cardiac arrest, three days later, that assistance arrived.
The Sun-Sentinel published an article providing a timeline of events on Wednesday, September 13, based on multiple sources. Victims ranged in age from 57 to 99 years old.
It was determined the deaths of 12 patients was caused by heat exposure. The victims ranged in age from 57 to 99 years old.
The rehabilitation center had previously been cited for failing to maintain an emergency generator. The generator was still not in working order when the hurricane hit. Although fans and portable A/C units were used, an engineering expert testified in a deposition that the A/C units were insufficient and actually made the conditions worse. Temperatures on the second floor possibly reached between 100 F and 110 F degrees, far above the 81 F state law limit. When paramedics arrived, many patients were suffering from fever as high as 109 F, or a heat stroke.
The criminal investigation, spanning two years, continues with additional arrests expected in the future. More than 500 people were interviewed and 1,000 pieces of evidence collected, along with 55 computers. Police also collected and reviewed more than 400 hours of video. Other factors contributing to the tragedy include:
Police officials stated, when announcing the criminal charges, the deaths were all avoidable and due to the behavior and inactivity of facility employees. Officials have also said documentation had been falsified with late added entries to give a false depiction of what actually happened. Questions have also been raised around the employees' preparation for responding during an emergency situation.
Attorneys for the nursing home reported to the Sun-Sentinel that the facility was fully staffed before and after the hurricane with experienced employees.
More details will emerge as the criminal investigation continues. Do you think the employees were doing all they could, hanging on until the transformer was repaired? Also, do you think the facility’s administrations lack of preparation contributed to the delayed notification of 911 emergency services?
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