Failure to Protect Resident from Theft by Visitor
Penalty
Summary
A resident, who was cognitively intact and had multiple medical diagnoses including protein-calorie malnutrition, cancer, anxiety, osteoporosis, adult failure to thrive, and major depressive disorder, reported that $80 was stolen from her purse while residing in the facility. The resident stated she had attempted to give the money to her daughter, who refused it, and then placed the money in her wallet, which was kept in her purse hanging on a hook inside her room. The resident discovered the money missing when preparing to go out with friends and immediately reported the theft to staff, who searched her room but could not locate the missing funds. Facility staff initiated an investigation, which included reviewing video surveillance footage. The footage revealed that a visitor, who was the grandson of another resident, entered the resident's room multiple times over a short period. Initially, the visitor was given the wrong room number by a CNA and entered the resident's room by mistake. However, after being directed to the correct room, the visitor returned to the resident's room several more times without a legitimate reason, as confirmed by both staff interviews and video evidence. The visitor was identified by his grandfather and another family member present at the facility. The facility's investigation concluded that the resident was a victim of misappropriation of property, which constitutes abuse. The suspected individual was not affiliated with the facility but was a family member of another resident. The resident expressed embarrassment over the incident and did not wish to press charges. Staff and social services substantiated the theft and classified it as abuse, confirming that the resident's belongings were not adequately protected from wrongful use by visitors.