The nursing home where an Alzheimer's patient allegedly was beaten by his roommate and later died did not notify the Ohio Department of Health and Toledo police of the assault, authorities said yesterday.
In addition, the suspect in the death - Sharon John Hawkins - was charged with kidnapping and assault after two unrelated incidents at two different group homes in 2000 and 2001. Both charges were dismissed in September because the state was "unable to proceed," according to court records.
Mr. Hawkins, 62 - whom police said has a mental disorder and dementia - was charged with murder in the death of 77-year-old Norbert Konwin.
He was being held on the medical floor of the Lucas County jail on a $500,000 bond after arraignment yesterday in Toledo Municipal Court.
Mr. Hawkins is accused of hitting Mr. Konwin with a bathroom towel bar in their room March 10 at Foundation Park Care Center, 1621 South Byrne Rd. Mr. Konwin sustained fractured ribs, a fractured nose, and a collapsed lung and was hospitalized for four days. He was returned to Foundation Park, where he died Friday.
Sara Morman, an Ohio Department of Health spokesman, said yesterday it is against state code that Foundation Park didn't notify her agency of the assault and it could be cited for failing to do so. The agency first learned of the assault through a complaint March 20 and is continuing to investigate the matter.
In cases of abuse, Ms. Morman said a licensed facility is required to notify the resident's physician and sponsor (such as a family member), the state health department, and the facility administrator. She said the state health department had not received a report from Foundation Park about the assault as of yesterday.
Ms. Morman said there is nothing in state law that specifically states facilities have to notify local authorities, but they should follow their own written procedures in a case of abuse.
"So if it's in their written notification policy that they have to contact local authorities and they didn't do that, that is something [the health department] would be looking at during the investigation," she said. "That's something we could cite them for."
Ms. Morman did not know Foundation Park's notification policy. Care center administrator Eric Valuckas did not return a call yesterday seeking comment.
Court records obtained by The Blade indicate this is not the first time Mr. Hawkins - who also once had an address at a Toledo psychiatric hospital - has been charged in an incident at a care facility.
In 2001, he was charged with felony kidnapping when he put a knife to the throat of a employee at a group home on North Detroit Avenue, police said.
A police report indicates Mr. Hawkins pushed and kicked another patient to the ground, ran into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, grabbed the victim by her hair, and put the knife to her throat.
A year earlier, he was accused of misdemeanor assault against a counselor at a Vance Street group home. The counselor suffered injuries, including scratches and bruises to his face, nose, and neck, according to court records.
Mr. Hawkins pleaded not guilty to the assault charge and the case twice was set for a hearing. The victim failed to appear each time, records indicate.
Both charges were dismissed and the prosecutor asked that open warrants be withdrawn, the records state. The prosecutor could not be reached yesterday for comment.
Pam Rumpf, Mr. Konwin's daughter, said she had no knowledge of Mr. Hawkins' background. When she asked about her father's roommate, she said a Foundation Park representative told her he was schizophrenic and they didn't know if he had problems in other facilities in which he had stayed.
"I just can't imagine they would let a person with that kind of background in a place like this," she said.
Ms. Rumpf said she hopes the judge puts Mr. Hawkins "somewhere where he's not gonna be a threat to someone ever again."
Ms. Rumpf also said she hopes the matter involving her father's death prompts changes to protect other nursing home patients. "Heaven forbid this would ever happen again," she said. "What a horrible, horrible way to die."
Contact Christina Hall at chall@theblade.com or 419-724-6007. Permanent LinkNursing home did not report beatinghttp://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060329/NEWS02/603290325STORY:2006603290325
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