Attorney General Abbott Nets 5 Fort Worth Arrests In Sweeping Nursing Home Abuse Cases; Two Surrender One Still At Large

Charges relate to elder abuse, fraud to obtain drugs for personal use; two deaths reported

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Wednesday, February 18, 2004

AUSTIN - Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s Medicaid Fraud officers fanned out across the Fort Worth area this morning to arrest five nursing home employees who have been charged with a variety of criminal offenses, including abuse and neglect of elderly or disabled residents. Two others facing similar charges voluntarily turned themselves in to state authorities today. All are either licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) or certified nurse assistants (CNAs).

The felony charges stem from conduct investigators unearthed during a lengthy investigation, including severe abuse and neglect of elderly patients, including two deaths, and forgery of government records to obtain controlled prescription drugs, allegedly for personal use.

“Today’s roundup and surrender of these nursing home workers reflects my office’s commitment to protecting seniors in the state’s Medicaid program who cannot fend for themselves or who may genuinely need medications that some health care workers may be taking from them,” said Attorney General Abbott. “I pledge to bring to justice anyone who endangers or exploits our seniors in this way.”

Booked into the Tarrant County jail today are:

• Jacqueline Williams, 40, Mary Maguire, 67, and Patricia Belken, 66, (the latter person surrendered to authorities). They are all LVNs employed by Mariner Health of Fort Worth and charged with injury to an elderly or disabled person.

This offense of neglect allegedly resulted in the death of an 87-year-old female resident. According to the arrest warrant filed today, Williams, Maguire and Belken are accused of ignoring this patient’s worsening condition caused by an acute vaginal infection. The three women failed to document these conditions over several days, resulting in emergency transfer of the patient to Kindred Hospital on November 1, 2001.

The infection worsened rapidly and the patient died on December 18, 2001. Hospital physicians confirmed that the infection could have been prevented if detected and treated earlier.

• Cynthia Laverne Williams (CNA), 44, employed by Heart of Texas Health Care and Barbara Young (CNA), 23, employed by Southwest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (injury to an elderly or disabled person). Young voluntarily surrendered to authorities.

In these two incidents, the defendants attempted unassisted transfers of elderly patients, aged 84 and 57, causing severe injuries such as broken limbs and head and eye lacerations. Ultimately, the 57-year-old died at the Heart of Texas facility after sustaining injuries.

• Nancy Way (LVN), 52, and Sharron Clark (LVN), 61, employed by Southwest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, (obtaining a controlled substance by fraud). Way is charged with obtaining Hydrocodone, and Clark with obtaining Hydrocodone and Vicodin

The two nurses are accused of obtaining various quantities of these strictly controlled drugs for personal use or because of addiction. The charges indicate the women allegedly took the medications at various times or reported dispensing the medications to residents with prescriptions, when they kept them for personal use. Authorities are seeking one additional nurse, formerly employed by Mansfield Nursing Center, on similar charges.

The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office assisted Abbott’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit officers in today’s arrests.