Hurricane Irma: Florida nursing home employees charged in patient deaths

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Florida nursing home employees charged in patient deaths

By KELLI KENNEDY and TERRY SPENCER
August 26, 2019

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Four employees of a Florida nursing home where 12 people died in sweltering heat after a hurricane cut power were charged Monday, at least three of them with aggravated manslaughter, their attorneys said.

Nursing home patients at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, ranging in age from 57 to 99, began dying three days after Hurricane Irma swept through in September 2017.

The center, which housed about 150 patients at the time, did not evacuate any of the residents as the temperature began rising, even though a fully functional hospital was across the street, investigators said. The home’s license was suspended days after the storm and it was later closed.

Former Rehabilitation Center nurse Sergo Colin and administrator Jorge Carballo were each charged with 12 counts of aggravated manslaughter, according to jail records. Nurse Althia Meggie was charged with two counts of aggravated manslaughter and two counts of tampering with evidence.

All three turned themselves in at the Broward County Jail on Monday and were scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, their attorneys said.

-snip-

Read more: https://apnews.com/8ac17cbefb1a42bb989dafff29cc4dfe

[NewDayOranges]

1. Is this the nursing home wherein the employees reached out to Gov Scott

for help, got his answering machine and left a message that Gov Scott deleted after reporters started asking him questions about aid that was never delivered?

http://sunshinestatenews.com/story/scotts-office-deleted-nursing-homes-voicemails-governor

http://www.dscc.org/press-release/scott-faces-backlash-nursing-home-scandal-named-loser-week/

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/9/29/1702775/-FL-Gov-Sen-Dems-Hit-Rick-Scott-R-Hard-On-Deleted-Messages-From-Nursing-Home-Where-12-Died

These workers get prosecuted and the Florida Governor gets promoted to Senator!

[dawg day]

2. That's what I remember too--

That they called the emergency number and no one answered.
I'm not sure anyone knows how to make sure that infirm and even comatose patients can be evacuated safely in an emergency, but state help would seem to be necessary.

[Submariner]

3. Before becoming the destroyer of the Florida environment, red tide Rick

killed medicare recipients by stealing their medicare funding meant to save their lives. The white trash slimeball beat the rap by claiming that since he was the CEO of the thieving company, he couldn’t possibly know the thefts were occurring. The Florida rubes believed that sack of shit, and like you stated, promoted him so he can now get a big fat federal government pension.

Thanks Florida......you dumb shits.

[malaise]

4. Saw that and was very happy

Rec

[HAB911]

5. And Rick Scott goes free

AGAIN.

Attorney Jim Cobb said none of the employees understood why they were being charged . He said Carballo and other administrators were repeatedly told before the storm that they could call then-Gov. Rick Scott's personal cellphone directly for help. Cobb said they called five times, but never heard back from Scott.

Cobb said the administrators "sat there languishing waiting for the cavalry to come. ... They never, ever came."

Attorney Lawrence Hashish remarked that "the real crime is that the state is looking to blame selfless caregivers and the evidence will show that no crime was committed."