Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry says his office is launching its own investigation into the deaths of several nursing home residents who were evacuated to a warehouse in Tangipahoa Parish that was not equipped to house over 800 residents. Landry says he wants to know the facts that led to these deaths.
“We wish to determine who authorized that these patients be moved to that facility, who oversaw the movement,” said Landry.
The state health department reports six nursing home residents evacuated to the Tangipahoa facility have died. All of the nursing home residents came from facilities operated by Bob Dean.
The Advocate reports LDH approved the warehouse as an evacuation site, but a spokesperson for the state’s health agency says the plan was not executed properly.
Landry says there are a lot of unanswered questions.
“Who later turned away career staff members of the Louisiana Department of Health when they attempted to look into this situation and why did the police chief and the sheriff state that an investigation was not needed and how quickly did these deaths occur,” said Landry.
Landry says both Tangipahoa Sheriff Daniel Edwards and Independence Police Chief Frank Edwards both said an investigation was not needed. Landry says they are brothers of Governor John Bel Edwards. Governor Edwards’ administration is conducting an investigation.
Landry is also concerned his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Unified Command Group were never notified of patient abuse or neglect when the governor’s office was first notified.
“My team serving in this command has notified me that at no time were we informed of any deaths or any crisis involving hundreds of nursing home patients,” said Landry.
Landry encourages anyone with information regarding the transfer, conditions, or deaths of nursing home residents in the Waterbury Companies warehouse in Independence to report it online or by phone. You may remain anonymous.
www.aglandry.com/MedicaidFraud
1-888-799-6885.
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