Three residents of The Legends At Heritage Place senior residence in central Minnesota were molested by a female employee on multiple occasions last winter, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. [Case no. HL28073005]
The victims are two females and one male, all with dementia.
The Star Tribune reports: “The caregiver was suspended when the incidents first came to the attention of administrators and was fired soon thereafter, said Roman Bloemke, director of operations for Hutchinson-based Welcome Home Health Care Inc., which operates The Legends at Heritage Place in Sartell, as well as facilities in eight other Minnesota cities.
Police said Tuesday they have forwarded one case to prosecutors for possible felony charges.
State investigators blamed the employee and the facility’s operators for the abuse, noting that employees failed to follow internal policies and allowed the worker to keep caring for vulnerable adults.
“Two staff members witnessed the inappropriate touch,” according to a summary of the state’s findings. “Evidence revealed administrative nursing staff was aware of one of the abuse allegations and failed [to act].”
According to the Health Department:
A Legends employee saw the caregiver “probe” and “push” a resident’s breasts one day in February and say, “I just love to touch [her].” Later in the month, the staff member was again seen touching the same resident’s breasts and commenting about them.
Near the end of February, the same employee fondled a different female resident’s breasts and ignored a co-worker’s orders to stop. In mid-March, the caregiver was seen abusing a resident’s penis as the man screamed “stop.” The worker told a colleague she was cleaning the resident.
The Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm represents clients who have been sexually assaulted in nursing homes and other care facilities. The Minnesota Supreme Court has recognized that punishing wrongdoers who deliberately disregard the rights and safety of others is necessary “to deter repeat behavior and to deter others from engaging in similar behavior.” At the Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm, we are committed to holding these wrongdoers accountable with punitive damages to punish them and to deter others from engaging in this reprehensible conduct in our community.
To learn more about our commitment to hold these wrongdoers accountable for sexual abuse, click on the following stories:
- Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm Reaches $10 million Settlement for Elderly Care Rape Case
- Kosieradzki Smith Case Causes Minnesota Lawmakers to Seek Change
- Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm Case Featured in New York Daily News
- Is the Minnesota Department of Health Doing Its Job?
- Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm Case Featured on Front Page of Minneapolis Star Tribune
- Kosieradzki Smith Case Prompts Investigation into Edgewood Vista Facilities
If you believe your loved one has been sexually assaulted in a nursing home or other care facility, take action and contact the Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm online or call us toll-free at (877) 552-2873 to set up a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
