"She Was Ice Cold": Florida Family Finds Matriarch Dead in Wheelchair at Nursing Home
Gloria Baral and her family knew she was dying from cancer. Her family never expected to find her dead in her wheelchair.
On June 21, 2009, Gloria's daughter and her husband went to visit her mother at Orchard Ridge Care and Rehabilitation Center after Sunday Mass. They arrived at the nursing home facility around 9:30 a.m. Walking into her mother's room, her daughter knew something was very wrong.
Gloria's hand was on the ground and she was bent over in her wheelchair. Her daughter said it was evident that no one had checked on her for quite some time. Her daughter said, "I walked over and I pushed on her chest a couple of times and she was ice cold. I went for her pulse and her arm was ice cold."
According to funeral home records, Gloria was pronounced dead at 9:00 a.m. Her daughter disputes the time saying "if that were the case, her body should have felt more warm".
The family has filed a complaint against the facility with the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. While Gloria's family is not currently pursuing legal action, they hope that the state will properly handle their complaint.
The Terry Law Firm is experienced in handling cases of nursing home abuse and neglect. Please contact us with any questions or concerns at (888) 317-2525 or visit our website at www.nursinghomejustice.com.
