While the majority of beds in most nursing homes are occupied by the elderly, some beds are occupied by younger generations. These are generally younger people suffering from developmental and physical disabilities. Regardless of age, there is still the expectation that the same amount of care will be given. CBS Local Chicago reports on a nursing home facing several lawsuits, including one from a family whose daughter’s last days included suffering from a sexually transmitted disease.
Alden-Wentworth Rehabilitation is facing nearly 90 lawsuits.
Mary Mims’ daughter Letasha was suffering from severe mental-health issues, including dementia at 36-years old. These issues rendered her non-verbal. She was also unable to use her arms or legs and was often left to sit in her own excrement.
She suffered bed sores which went all the way to the bone. Bugs were discovered in her bed and she rapidly lost weight, Mims’ said, due to starvation.
Letasha died in 2014, and the nursing home settled a lawsuit for nearly $900,000. The lawsuit alleged both physical and sexual abuse. A secondary lawsuit against Letasha’s doctor, Emmanuel Paintsill, is still pending.
The doctor admits never reporting the physical abuse. Further, he admits to treating her for an STD but never reporting the sexual abuse either. No rape test kit was performed, making finding her abuser impossible.
Mims says that her daughter was incapable of consenting to sex due to the mental health issues she was suffering from while at the nursing facility.
Have you or a loved one been the victim of abuse or neglect while staying in a nursing home? Let the experienced attorneys at the law offices of Schenk Smith fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Call today.
