Death By Cereal? Pennsylvania Nursing Home Resident's Death Under Investigation
On October 8, 2008, a 79 year old resident of Cambridge Brightfield Personal Care and Hospice in Lansdale, Pennsylvania was fed hot cereal for breakfast by nurse aide, Alvador Thompson. The man was non-communicative, bedridden, and suffering from end-stage Alzheimer's dementia and required assistance with activities of daily living.
Later that morning, a facility supervisor noticed that the resident appeared to have a torn and infected upper lip and questioned Thompson as to whether or not she knew how the resident had gotten the injury. Thompson replied that she did not know. By Noon that day, the man's lip was blistered and swollen and he was transported to Central Montgomery Medical Center and admitted for treatment. The resident's injuries were reported to police on October 9, 2008, one day after the injury. Detective John Ciarello visited the resident in the hospital on October 10 and observed severe burns and blistering on the man's upper and lower lips and tongue.
A witness told authorities that she saw the man trying to push away the cup of hot cereal. Thompson, who had on-job training regarding proper feeding of residents, did not report the incident or seek any medical treatment for the man after the incident.
The resident was later released from the hospital and went home to continue with hospice care. He died on October 23, 2008.
Because the man's private physician certified that the man's death resulted from malnutrition due to natural causes, the death was not reported to the coroner's office nor was an autopsy performed prior to burial. The county coroner's office is now set to exhume the man's body with the blessing of his family to examine the nature and extent of the burns. County Coroner Walter Hofman was notified of the pending criminal investigation and reviewed the man's medical records. He issued a coroner's death certificate listing a dual cause of death - complications of burns of oral mucosa, tongue and throat and Alzheimer's dementia.
Once the body is exhumed and an autopsy performed, if the coroner determines that the man died from the burns experienced on October 8, 2008, then the incident will be classified as a homicide and Thompson will face charges for homicide. Thompson, who was arrested in December 2008, is currently charged with aggravated assault, neglect of care-dependent person, simple assault, and reckless endangerment. She remains free on bail awaiting a repeatedly postponed preliminary hearing.
The Terry Law Firm is experienced in handling cases of nursing home abuse and neglect. Please contact us at 1 (888) 317-2525 or visit our website at www.nursinghomejustice.com.
