Malman Law
Legal News

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Allegations Go Beyond

“Angel of Death” Allegations Go Beyond Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

The former nursing director of Woodstock Residence nursing center, Penny Whitlock, has been charged with criminal neglect and obstruction of justice. While a Chicago personal injury attorney can tell you that nursing home neglect is all too common, this particular situation is truly shocking. The charges come after a lengthy 15-month investigation into six suspicious deaths in 2006 at the nursing center – including the exhumation of the bodies of three patients who had passed away during that time period.

An experienced Chicago personal injury attorney knows from extensive experience with nursing home neglect that patients are often mistreated by the staff who ought to be caring for them.

According to the Chicago Sun Times’ coverage of the trial, “despite being nursing director, Whitlock never tried to stop Marty Himebaugh from allegedly overmedicating patients at a Woodstock nursing home, including at least one who died from a morphine overdose, prosecutors contended.” Trial prosecutors allege that in spite of warnings that Himebaugh was giving excessive morphine doses to patients, Whitlock’s only action was to “dub her employee the ‘Angel of Death’.”

Attorneys for Whitlock deny that she ever neglected patients or acted improperly. If she is convicted of these charges, Whitlock faces a maximum of three years in prison. The nurse, Marty Himebaugh, is currently awaiting trial on charges of improperly dispensing morphine and criminal neglect.

Chicago Personal Injury Attorneys and Nursing Home Neglect
Our Chicago Personal Injury Attorneys are appalled that nursing home neglect and abuse continue to be a problem at a number of assisted living facilities, particularly when the neglect leads to wrongful death. Nursing homes should be held liable for Chicago nursing home negligence if they fail to prevent abuse and neglect incidents from happening and a patient is injured or dies as a result.