Local Nursing Home Accused of Abuse

CORPUS CHRISTI - The state is releasing new information on the Flour Bluff nursing home shut down in April. The documents released Friday bring some disturbing allegations against the owners of the facility.

On April 15, the Affordable Quality Care Assisted Living Center was raided by agents of the Department of Aging and Disability Services. All of the patients were moved out and placed into other facilities.

Our cameras were inside during the raid, as the state took emergency action to seize the facility's operating license.

Najmeh Nouri Griffin, owner of the center told us she didn't know why they were being shut down, but now the state is shedding light on its actions.

"They said we are charged with abuse and neglect, and really they do that anytime you fire an employee. They go charge you with that. It's very common," Griffin told us at the time of the raid.

The 42-page document details the states findings.

It claims Griffin "...abused residents through physical abuse, verbal abuse, intimidation and humiliation."

The state also accuses Griffin of some startling punishments for patients in her care including making "[two patients] wear dirty diapers around [their] necks." And, forcing another resident "to clean up his own feces."

We tired contacting the facility, but our calls weren't returned. In April, Griffin denied the claims.

"They haven't seen anything but kindness and really only the most skilled nursing from us here," she said.

We were able to speak with Joe Flores, the attorney for the Griffins. He says they categorically deny all of the allegations from the state.

Flores went on to say the claims are the result of an "overzealous investigator in Austin" and a "disgruntled employee".

He also says his clients are going to fight the state all the way to Austin to try to get their facility reopened.

"The state can have allegations of a fight club in a state school and allegations of deaths in nursing homes, and DADS does nothing, but then they go after my clients," Flores said.

Flores also claimed the investigation became overblown because Griffin and the lead investigator had a personality conflict.

There will be a hearing this month in Austin so the owners can defend against the claims.

For now, the center remains closed.

However, the adult day care on the property remains in operation.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• corpus christi
• steven romo
• nursing home
• abuse

[oonanqtyujaoo]

You did an honorable thing, may they get what they deserve >:(