Two years later, we still hear about Hurricane Katrina and its lasting effect on so many. Today, I woke up to a news cast on a New Orleans Nursing Home that refused to evacuate residents, despite numerous warnings. The result? Thirty Five elderly residents, unable to leave on their own, drowned in the wheelchairs and beds. Who knows how many civil suits have been filed, but the trial this week, is criminal. Now, the defense will likely argue the facility did not have warning or appropriate tools to evacuate. They may even point the finger to the Federal Government’s response, or the Corp’s failure to enforce the levys, or FEMA etc. But if other facilities in town knew to evacuate, and did it successfully, will those excuses fly?
We have horrific nursing home cases all the time where residents are killed as a result of negligence – falls, bedsores, malnutrition… but to let 35 people drown. That makes me ill, and hopeful that the New Orleans jury is paying attention. We will keep you posted on the outcome. Read details about the case here.