COLUMBUS – Six employees of a Columbus nursing facility and a contracted certified nurse practitioner have been indicted on charges, including involuntary manslaughter, for allegedly neglecting two patients under their care, one of whom died as a result of the neglect, according to Ohio attorney general David Yost whose office is prosecuting the case.
A Franklin County grand jury on Wednesday indicted three nurses on charges of involuntary manslaughter, gross patient neglect and patient neglect after a man died in March 2017 at the Whetstone Gardens and Care Center on Olentangy River Road, Yost said.
“This is gut-wrenching for anyone who has entrusted a care facility with the well-being and safety of a loved one,” Yost said.
A second patient suffered physical harm because of inadequate care, Yost said.
“This case goes to the heart of protecting the unprotected. These victims were completely dependent on others for day-to-day care, which their families trusted Whetstone Gardens to provide. Instead of providing that care, evidence shows these nurses forced the victims to endure awful mistreatment and then lied about it,” he said.
In February 2017, the man, whose name was not released, developed serious wounds on his body which progressed until tissue became gangrenous and necrotic tissue.
The indictment claims that nurses Sandra Blazer, Jessica Caldwell and Kimberly Potter allegedly failed to take medically appropriate steps that could have saved his life and he died from septic shock as a result of the nurses failing to get him timely medical treatment.
The seven were indicted in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas on a total of 34 charges:
Sandra Blazer, Assistant Director of Nursing: (8 counts) involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence and forgery, all felonies; gross patient neglect and patient neglect
Jessica Caldwell, Unit Manager/Floor Nurse: (3 counts) involuntary manslaughter, gross patient neglect, patient neglect
Kimberly Potter, Contracted Certified Nurse Practitioner: (3 counts) involuntary manslaughter, gross patient neglect and patient neglect
Akosua Ayarkwa, Floor Nurse: (4 counts) forgery and gross patient neglect
Sheila Dains, Floor Nurse: (9 counts) forgery and gross patient neglect
Illuminee Muhongere, Floor Nurse: (2 counts) forgery
Maegan Van Syckle, Floor Nurse: (5 counts) forgery and gross patient neglect
The indictments also say nursing staff repeatedly documented treatments that were never provided to a second patient, who suffered physical harm, Yost said.
According to Yost, medical records for that patient contained false information and forged signatures of nursing staff. The investigation found that the patient’s medical file listed care occurring at times when she was not physically present at the facility, said Yost.
Five employees, including Blazer, were indicted on charges of forgery or gross patient neglect.
Anyone with evidence of additional neglect at the facility is encouraged to contact the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit by calling 800-282-0515 or visiting the office’s website.