Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox Charges Detroit Nursing Home Employee With Abuse of 78-Year-Old Resident
6 October 2005Attorney General Mike Cox announced
today that he has charged a Detroit Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) with
abuse of a 78-year-old female nursing home resident who suffers from dementia.
"Our loved ones in residential care facilities should never be subject to
abuse and mistreatment," said Cox. "My office will continue to protect
Michigan's vulnerable adults, and ensure that they receive the high standard
of care they deserve."
Attorney General investigators took Rita Lynn Burton, 46, of Detroit, a
CNA at Moroun Nursing Home in Detroit, into custody Tuesday. Judge Izetta
Bright arraigned Burton Tuesday in Detroit's 36th District Court on one count
of misdemeanor patient abuse, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in
jail and/or $10,000 in fines. Judge Bright released Burton on a $3,000
personal recognizance bond and Burton will be back in court October 17 at
8:30 a.m. for a pretrial conference.
Cox alleges in the complaint that on or about August 7, 2004, Burton
punched a wheelchair bound 78-year-old dementia patient in the ribs. The
facility conducted an internal investigation and reported the incident to the
Department of Community Health and Cox's Health Care Fraud Division. Burton
is no longer employed at the facility.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed
innocent unless and until proven guilty.
To report Medicaid provider fraud or patient abuse in a resident care
facility, call the Attorney General's 24-hour Hotline at 1-800 24-ABUSE
(800-242-2873); e-mail hcf@michigan.gov ; or visit the Attorney General's Web
site at http://www.michigan.gov/ag .
Source: PR Newswire
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