GUILTY AZ - Sex abuse probe after patient in vegetative state has baby, Phoenix, 29 Dec 2018 *Arrest*

[MsFacetious]

Well crap, I was optimistic about the baby's chances but didn't know about the seizure disorder. Odds are definitely stacked against him.

I think that the medical personnel who did that exam in April likely will be added to the list of those to collect DNA from. That is amazingly coincidental timing... unless someone knew she'd had the yearly exam and abuse wouldn't be noticed?

I'm also relieved to see her being called a quadriplegic now. That appears to be more accurate for her state than vegetative state.

 

[Laughing]

I didn't see this posted. Some interesting info about how it could've been missed.

New clues on how Hacienda staff could have missed woman's pregnancy, why baby coded at birth

Yes, an interesting read indeed!

Worth your time to check the comments after the article -- click on the link to the pdf, intriguing information about the quoted doctor..

 

[cybervampira]

Center where comatose woman had baby faced criminal probe | Daily Mail Online

[...]

Regulators wanted to remove developmentally disabled patients from a Phoenix long-term care facility years before a woman in a vegetative state gave birth, Arizona's largest newspaper reported Sunday.

The Arizona Republic reported Hacienda HealthCare faced a 2016 criminal investigation for allegedly billing the state more than $4 million for bogus 2014 charges for wages, transportation, housekeeping, maintenance and supplies.

The criminal case was dropped in 2017 and no charges were filed, the Republic said, but a court battle is continuing in an effort to force Hacienda to turn over financial records.

[...]


Despite a criminal investigation into practices at the home, Phoenix police officers are pictured here visiting residents of the home around the time of the holidays in 2014


Members of the Phoenix police department would regularly visit the home during the holidays
[...]

Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, said his office is considering bringing in a third party to assume responsibility for the ongoing management of Hacienda.

The nonprofit facility gets more than $20 million annually in taxpayer funds for taking care of extremely ill people, many of whom are incapacitated and on ventilators, the Republic reported.

Hacienda's annual average cost of care was $386,000 per client in 2012 compared with $134,000 per client in similar U.S. facilities, Arizona Department of Economic Security auditors said.

The Republic said former economic security director Timothy Jeffries and the agency's chief law enforcement officer, Charles Loftus have both filed lawsuits against the state, claiming they were forced out of their jobs over their probe of Hacienda.



Hacienda CEO Bill Timmons stepped down last week in light of the news
Jeffries was forced to resign in 2016 after a series of controversies, including a finding by the Arizona Department of Public Safety that the department kept shoddy record-keeping, had insecure storage of guns and ammunition and that it had violated state procurement policies in buying some 60,000 rounds of ammunition.

Jeffries filed suit against the state in 2017 over what he claims is libel in a police report that detailed a stash of weapons and ammunition kept in the agency offices. He claims statements in the DPS audit were false and that there were malicious motives involved in the report.

The Republic quoted Jeffries as saying Timmons was obstinate during the investigation of Hacienda and bragged of tight ties to Ducey.

Ducey spokeswoman Elizabeth Berry said the governor was horrified by accounts of the rape and denied that the state failed to act on concerns raised by the economic security department.

She also said Hacienda played no part in the forced resignations of Jeffries and Loftus after their two-year tenure.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Facility launches internal probe after woman in vegetative state gave birth

Phoenix police have already executed a search warrant seeking DNA samples from male staff members at the center.

 

[Kaie]

Someone claiming to be a Hacienda employee, who had previously written a Google review of the facility giving it 5 stars, added an update to their review 5 days ago. Even their original post sounded like its purpose was to counteract various negative reviews (and that's all prior to this incident). The negative reviews have poured in since then of course.

The poster was using a one review account. I thought I'd share what they wrote in that update. I find the post pretty odd. They sound so much like someone whose stated connection to the facility is genuine when I look at the full post (either that or they have some connection). Point 1 is nothing like the public story and can't be entirely true, point 2 is absurd, point 3 is confusing to read but the gist is the they're unhappy about the string of negative reviews that have been posted by angry members of the public.

"UPDATE

Amidst the recent controversy, I as someone who is employed within the facilty wish to preface.

1. There was knowledge beforehand, but due to attempted investigations on an independent and private level pre-birth, due to the nature such a twisted act would cause to our public morale for not only our clients, but our employees (as evidenced here), the knowledge was not leaked to the public until days after the c-section was preformed.

2. The CEO stepping down had no correlation with the allegations, it was a planned retirement as early as late 2017.

3. "Reviews" simply highlighting said allegation, when we ourselves are working hard to solve this repulsive conflict is distasteful. It is one thing to make note of an issue or qualm personally withed in the home itself, it is another thing to simply bash on a single piece of mis-informed details that are being enforced with local police, while still trying to keep our clients in a positive state of mode."

EDIT: I actually started this forum post yesterday, and left it on my screen overnight to check it with new eyes in the morning (I was dead tired after traveling). It appears that the poster might have pulled it down, as I can't find it again now. The above post I cut and paste when I was reading the reviews through Google Maps.

 

[Kaie]

I just edited the above post a 2nd time to take the reviewer's name out of it. I just ran a search and found that they are a genuine employee, and that the name they used is in fact their real name.

 

[flute4peace]

C-section? Has that been in MSM? I find the logistics of that to be very implausible - especially in light of the 911 call. Unless the 911 call was faked/for publicity purposes only.

(Not in any way doubting the poster! Just agreeing that the review gives me pause.)

 

[beatrixpotter]

So this employee is claiming that they actually KNEW she was pregnant AND she had a csection? That's not even remotely close to "Oops. We had no idea she was pregnant and found an already delivered infant in distress." Employee or not I don't believe them.

If that's the truth then how would a story that's the opposite emerge and not even be disputed? The media got the story from somewhere to begin with and I'm assuming the source was better than a FB review.

 

[Kaie]

I've just found a bio for the poster, turns out they work in the technology side of things (computer hardware etc...) as a trainee. They also have a disability themselves.
I'm kind of afraid to post too much more about that. I've only just found this bio. When I reposted their review, I of course was thinking that the one review account, with the cartoony looking profile pic, that was only there to defend Hacienda, had a made up name attached to it. I'll just say, this person may view things differently due to their own disability.

 

[Kaie]

Wow... what just happened? Now, just before my eyes, the number of Google reviews on Hacienda Healthcare has dropped from 58 to 11, with deletion of most negative reviews... bringing their rating from 1.8 starts, back up to 4.6.
Some of those reviews were posted well before the current situation, by people with first hand experience with the facility. The glowing reviews remain.

 

[mickey2942]

Reading about this young woman's life just makes me ill.

People in LTC are barely given care, aside from basic palliative care. And the heavy dosages of medication, justified as "seizure" medications, wrong, at that level, it is keeping her easier to take care of, people doped up don't make noise. They don't complain, even people who are severely brain damaged can and do communicate, unless doped up completely.

This whole thing makes me sick. And probably not an isolated incident. Just a guy who didn't use a condom this time.

If you have a family member in LTC, go visit, odd hours, and often. My real question here, is why didn't her own family notice her pregnancy? I spent time with my Grandmother in LTC, I often changed her clothes, checked her skin, I was there almost every single day for 18 months, with a full time job and kids. And because I was there, brought in pizza for the staff, knew their names, helped them with their immigration paperwork, I know my Grandmother received better care than many other residents.

 

[GarAndTeed]

If you have a family member in LTC, go visit, odd hours, and often. My real question here, is why didn't her own family notice her pregnancy? I spent time with my Grandmother in LTC, I often changed her clothes, checked her skin, I was there almost every single day for 18 months, with a full time job and kids. And because I was there, brought in pizza for the staff, knew their names, helped them with their immigration paperwork, I know my Grandmother received better care than many other residents.

You're SO right, Mickey- well said!!! Great post- thanks!

 

[mickey2942]

You're SO right, Mickey- well said!!! Great post- thanks!

Well, the staff was scared of me. I asked them about their CARF accreditation, and confronted them on the inconsistencies.

But truly, even if you have to place a family member in LTC, stay involved in their care. Staff is less likely to be lazy when they KNOW you will notice and complain. And definitely less likely to abuse a patient with family that is around.

 

[GarAndTeed]

Well, the staff was scared of me. I asked them about their CARF accreditation, and confronted them on the inconsistencies.

But truly, even if you have to place a family member in LTC, stay involved in their care. Staff is less likely to be lazy when they KNOW you will notice and complain. And definitely less likely to abuse a patient with family that is around.

I hear you- I worked in the nursing home where my grandmother resided in the last years of her life. I got fired because I ticked the owners off one too many times, but I had a regular caretaker/friend who saw her at least weekly & kept me updated.

 

[Concernedmamaof3]

Reading about this young woman's life just makes me ill.

People in LTC are barely given care, aside from basic palliative care. And the heavy dosages of medication, justified as "seizure" medications, wrong, at that level, it is keeping her easier to take care of, people doped up don't make noise. They don't complain, even people who are severely brain damaged can and do communicate, unless doped up completely.

This whole thing makes me sick. And probably not an isolated incident. Just a guy who didn't use a condom this time.

If you have a family member in LTC, go visit, odd hours, and often. My real question here, is why didn't her own family notice her pregnancy? I spent time with my Grandmother in LTC, I often changed her clothes, checked her skin, I was there almost every single day for 18 months, with a full time job and kids. And because I was there, brought in pizza for the staff, knew their names, helped them with their immigration paperwork, I know my Grandmother received better care than many other residents.

I was shocked in an earlier article it said the family only visited every month or two. This poor girl. What kind of life is that from 3 to 29.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Frantic 911 call nurses made as they rescued newborn after mother in vegetative state gives birth | Daily Mail Online

“On Friday it also emerged that the woman, who weighed just 112 pounds, had entered Hacienda HealthCare when she was three years old after a drowning incident.”

She weighed just 112 pounds. And no one could tell she was pregnant?

“The woman's family visited every few months, usually in a large group of some 15 people, the caregiver said.”

Every few months in a large group of 15 or more. Anyone else think that’s an odd statement? And one noticed anything during their visits.

“ According to medical reports, the woman had brain injury, seizures, recurring pneumonia, feeding and breathing tubes. “

Breathing and feeding tubes. What a sick monster to prey on this woman.

 

[flute4peace]

Frantic 911 call nurses made as they rescued newborn after mother in vegetative state gives birth | Daily Mail Online

“On Friday it also emerged that the woman, who weighed just 112 pounds, had entered Hacienda HealthCare when she was three years old after a drowning incident.”

She weighed just 112 pounds. And no one could tell she was pregnant?

“The woman's family visited every few months, usually in a large group of some 15 people, the caregiver said.”

Every few months in a large group of 15 or more. Anyone else think that’s an odd statement? And one noticed anything during their visits.

“ According to medical reports, the woman had brain injury, seizures, recurring pneumonia, feeding and breathing tubes. “

Breathing and feeding tubes. What a sick monster to prey on this woman.

Ok. That’s about what I weighed non-pregnant. Granted I’m under 5’ tall, but there is NO WAY I could have hidden a pregnancy even if I had tried.

 

[MarziPanda]

I was shocked in an earlier article it said the family only visited every month or two. This poor girl. What kind of life is that from 3 to 29.

It's possible the family lives a fair distance and can't afford to visit more often than that. I think it's been mentioned that this particular care facility caters mostly for young people who are severely disabled. It might be the only place the family could place her and it might be hours away from where they live.

Plus, well, I can sort of understand it even if they do live close. I love my grandad dearly. I grew up sleeping overnight at my grandparents house twice a week, we are very close. But he has dementia now, and due to several falls we had to put him in a care home as he was no longer safe in his own home. Half the time he doesn't know who I am, or thinks I'm my mum (who I look very much like, but who died in 2000). I visit him once a week. There will come a time when he no longer recognises me at all. When he'll just sit staring into space and find no comfort or joy in my presence. He might even be scared of me, who will be a stranger by then. At that point, who am I really visiting for, me or him? I would still visit, but likely not as often. I have to protect my own mental health, too. And seeing my dear grandad like that would break me every visit. People like to say 'I would visit nearly every day' up until they're in a similar situation themselves.

 

[Concernedmamaof3]

It's possible the family lives a fair distance and can't afford to visit more often than that. I think it's been mentioned that this particular care facility caters mostly for young people who are severely disabled. It might be the only place the family could place her and it might be hours away from where they live.

Plus, well, I can sort of understand it even if they do live close. I love my grandad dearly. I grew up sleeping overnight at my grandparents house twice a week, we are very close. But he has dementia now, and due to several falls we had to put him in a care home as he was no longer safe in his own home. Half the time he doesn't know who I am, or thinks I'm my mum (who I look very much like, but who died in 2000). I visit him once a week. There will come a time when he no longer recognises me at all. When he'll just sit staring into space and find no comfort or joy in my presence. He might even be scared of me, who will be a stranger by then. At that point, who am I really visiting for, me or him? I would still visit, but likely not as often. I have to protect my own mental health, too. And seeing my dear grandad like that would break me every visit. People like to say 'I would visit nearly every day' up until they're in a similar situation themselves.

You are definitely right! I just feel bad that is her life. No childhood, seeing family 6-12 times a year. It’s heartbreaking!

Hugs by the way! My grandmother had Alzheimer’s. It was one of the hardest things to process for me. I was 13 or so when my dad and aunt put her in day care because she couldn’t be left home alone. We went up to look at the daycares. I am not super religious, but I know somehow she remembered me the entire trip. She did not recognize my parents. It broke me and I called here and there, but it was way too hard on me to see her like that. It’s like a person you don’t know takes over. She moved to a full time facility around a year later because she got out and got lost while there. Whenever I see the elder missing posts, I always think of that.

 

[mickey2942]

I was shocked in an earlier article it said the family only visited every month or two. This poor girl. What kind of life is that from 3 to 29.

I am not judging the family, just saying that Residents that have less family involvement are more likely to be abused or neglected in facilities. But if they did visit every few months, one would think that they would have noticed a difference.

That being said, the nurses who signed off on her care need their licenses suspended. I don't want them to quit and move onto another job.