Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Family sues nursing home; patient disappeared, found dead
DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A family is suing a nursing home after their loved one went missing and was later found dead during the holidays.
Julie Saintil can't believe her father Antoine is gone. He was 68 years old. In early December, Antoine suffered a stroke that left him disoriented. His family decided to put him in a nursing home.
On Christmas morning, the family said they received a call from the facility Broward Institute for Long Term Care. They told the family that Antoine was missing. "Because my dad was sick, and we didn't want to keep him in the house. He needed health care. He needed someone to help him, like doctors, nurses and therapists," said Saintil.
According to the Lighthouse Point Police, there was an extensive search. Officials said Antoine was found in a waterway off 29th Avenue. This was nearly two miles from the facility where he was staying. "What we have here is our parents and grandparents, people that you end up putting in these nursing homes and all they got to do, their bare basics, is to watch over and take care of our loved ones," said attorney Scott Sobol. "This is basic. I mean, know where your residents are and don't let them get off their premises of where the are staying."
The family is obviously devastated, and it's not something that they thought was going to happen. "I cannot even explain it because I just have a 5-year-old. Everyday she asks me, 'Mom, where is grandpa?' even though I try my best to explain to her what happened to her grandpa. We will never see him again. I lost him forever, forever and ever," Saintil said.
Antoine leaves behind four children and four grandchildren. Saintil said there is a feeling of regret and wishes, in retrospect, that she never sent her dad to a nursing home.
The nursing home released a statement that read: "Due to the pending investigation, we are not at liberty to comment on the disappearance of one of our residents at this time. We are cooperating fully with the authorities. As always, the number one priority is the care and well being of our residents."
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