Police recently arrested several employees at the Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in an ongoing investigation into alleged nursing home abuse and neglect at the short-term and long-term care facility.
In December 2024, the Colonial Heights Police Department (CHPD) obtained warrants to arrest 18 facility employees, including an administrator and nurse, CBS 6 (WTVR-TV) reports. According to the media outlet, more charges and arrests could be ahead, which had previously reported in July 2024 about alleged federal health rule violations at the facility.
In addition to local law enforcement, the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Licensure and Certification (VDH) and the State Attorney General’s Elder Abuse Task Force are investigating the matter, according to CBS 6.
Why Did Police Arrest Multiple Employees of the Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center?
The December 2024 arrest warrants stem from an investigation that officials launched two months earlier after Adult Protective Services received a complaint of alleged elder abuse at Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. The complaint concerned a 74-year-old patient who had been hospitalized and ultimately died due to the nursing home’s alleged negligence.
During the prior year, CBS 6 had reported on a former employee’s allegations that a patient at the facility assaulted her. The report sparked a VDH investigation that led to four charges of alleged federal health rule violations, including the failure to ensure the facility’s employees had the education and competence to deal with mental health patients. An off-site paper review, rather than an in-person visit, resolved those allegations, CBS 6 reports.
The facility currently has a one-star rating (out of five possible stars) on Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare website.
What Are the Charges Being Levied Against These Employees?
Police can arrest suspects on arrest warrants when a judicial official determines there is probable cause that a crime occurred. Here, the arrest warrants issued in December 2024 allege, in part, abuse of the facility’s vulnerable adults, falsification of patient records, and obstruction of justice, according to CBS 6.
What Should I Do If I Suspect My Loved One is a Victim of Abuse or Neglect at Their Nursing Home?
If you suspect your loved one has suffered nursing home abuse or neglect at Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center or any other Virginia short-term or long-term care facility, you should report it immediately to local law enforcement as well as Adult Protective Services. When ready to act, you should also seek help from an experienced Colonial Heights nursing home abuse and neglect attorney.
How Can Marks and Harrison Help Me?
When an investigation into alleged nursing home abuse and neglect occurs, an experienced lawyer from Marks & Harrison can serve as a liaison between your family and the investigating agencies, conduct an independent investigation, gather evidence, and take other steps to protect your family’s rights. You can count on us to use the full extent of our resources to pursue full and fair compensation for all the harm you and your loved ones have needlessly suffered.
Contact a Virginia Nursing Home Abuse Attorney
For more than 100 years, the highly dedicated personal injury attorneys of Marks & Harrison have protected those harmed by the wrongdoing of others in Colonial Heights and throughout Virginia, including victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. To discuss the facts of your case and learn more about how we can help you, contact us today and receive a free consultation.
