Two Nurses Arrested in Ohio for Nursing Home Resident Neglect

In April 2022, Sunrise Manor nursing home’s director of nursing and assistant nursing director were arrested for allegations of patient neglect. Christina Drake and Jennie Elliott are being investigated following a criminal complaint filed in regard to an incident that occurred in April 2020. The two nursing staff members are facing multiple first-degree misdemeanor charges, including gross patient neglect.

The recently-filed criminal complaint details the alleged incident of neglect. The patient, an unnamed female resident, was reported to show signs of bruises and other injuries. She was examined by Drake and Elliott who, it is claimed, “did nothing to treat her.” Several days later the patient was taken to a hospital, where it was discovered that she was suffering fractured vertebra and bleeding in the skull.

Sunrise Manor nursing home, with locations in Amelia, OH and a separate facility in Hamilton County, has a history of substandard patient care. The facility was given only two out of five stars by Medicare’s Nursing Home Care Compare tool, a rating considered below average. Nursing home ratings are based on three primary indicators: health inspections, staffing, and quality measures.

Nursing home staff members have a legal duty to keep residents safe from harm and treat injuries and other medical conditions in a timely and effective manner. When trained medical professionals fail to appropriately address serious health issues, patients may suffer irreparable harm.

The wellbeing of our most vulnerable population depends on the care provided by nursing home and long-term care facility staff members. These healthcare providers have the responsibility to ensure that every resident’s needs are addressed with the highest degree of care and expertise.

Sadly, the incident that occurred at Sunrise Manor is not an isolated case of nursing home neglect in the greater Cincinnati or surrounding areas of Ohio. Ohio state legislators have recently increased efforts to combat the issue of high rates of abuse and neglect in care facilities in our state.

On March 23, 2022, Esther’s Law was put into effect. This law grants nursing home residents and their representatives the right to authorize and install cameras to monitor the quality of care they receive in a nursing home or other care facility. The law was named after Esther Piskor, an Ohio nursing home resident who suffered abuse and neglect at the hands of her caregivers. The abuse was finally discovered when her son had a recording device installed in her resident room and witnessed the mistreatment and neglect.

Laws like Esther’s Law can help us take a step in the right direction toward recognizing, ending, and preventing instances of nursing home abuse and neglect. As experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Ohio, we at Thomas Law Offices advocate for nursing home residents who have been victimized by professional caregivers. We believe in preserving the dignity of our aging population, and we fight tirelessly against the mistreatment and exploitation of those who reside in nursing homes.

If you or a loved one has experienced abuse or neglect in a residential care facility, we want to meet with you. Schedule a free consultation with an experienced member of our nursing home abuse and neglect legal team. We’ll discuss the circumstances of your case and how we may be able to help. A meeting to discuss your legal options is always available at no cost to you.