The proprietor of seven Louisiana nursing properties who despatched greater than 800 of his aged residents to a crowded, ill-equipped warehouse to journey out Hurricane Ida final 12 months was arrested Wednesday on fraud and cruelty costs arising from the squalid circumstances.
Bob Glynn Dean Jr., 68, had already misplaced state licenses and federal funding for crowding his residents right into a facility within the city of Independence, roughly 70 miles (110 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans. There, authorities mentioned they discovered unwell and aged bedridden individuals on mattresses on the moist flooring, some crying for assist, some mendacity in their very own waste. Some had arrived with out their medication, in accordance with one physician. Civil fits in opposition to Dean’s company mentioned the ceiling leaked, bathrooms overflowed on the sweltering warehouse and there was too little meals and water.
On Wednesday, Dean was in custody in Tangipahoa Parish, going through costs of Medicaid fraud, cruelty to the infirm and obstruction of justice.
Dean’s legal professional, John McClindon, mentioned Dean was knowledgeable earlier this week of the warrant in opposition to him. A Georgia resident, Dean flew to Louisiana and turned himself in on Wednesday. McClindon mentioned Dean was to be launched on a $350,000 bond.
Legal professional Normal Jeff Landry mentioned the felony costs stem from allegations that Dean billed Medicaid for dates his residents weren’t receiving correct care on the warehouse “and engaged in conduct supposed to intimidate or hinder public well being officers and regulation enforcement.”
McClindon mentioned he couldn’t touch upon all the fees as a result of he had not but learn all the warrant. However he mentioned throughout a quick interview, “I don’t assume Bob Dean did something that rose to the extent of felony.”
Within the days after Ida hit Aug. 29, the state reported the deaths of seven individuals who had been evacuated to the warehouse within the city of Independence. 5 had been labeled as storm-related deaths.
Dean later misplaced the state licenses for his seven services. In Might, the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers introduced it was prohibiting Dean from receiving federal funding, together with Medicare and Medicaid. On the time, McLindon, advised The Occasions-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate that Dean is interesting the state license revocations and could be reinstated for the federal packages if the appeals are profitable.
Ida blasted ashore final August as some of the highly effective storms ever to hit the U.S., knocking out energy to all of New Orleans, blowing roofs off buildings and reversing the circulation of the Mississippi River because it rushed from the coast into a significant industrial hall. Ida’s landfall with 150 mph- (240 kph-) winds additionally marked the primary time in recorded historythat a state bought back-to-back years of 150 mph winds or extra.
On the warehouse the place Dean’s residents had been taken, state officers mentioned circumstances had deteriorated rapidly within the storm. Turbines used to offer energy failed at instances. Residents had been in shut quarters at a time when the state was urging social distancing as a result of coronavirus pandemic. Some went with out meals for hours.
Dean’s nursing properties had been River Palms Nursing and Rehab and Maison Orleans Healthcare Heart in New Orleans; South Lafourche Nursing and Rehab in Lafourche Parish; Park Place Healthcare Nursing House, West Jefferson Well being Care Heart and Maison DeVille Nursing dwelling of Harvey, in Jefferson Parish; and Maison DeVille Nursing House in Terrebonne Parish.
