California Health Department officials are looking into recent allegations of nursing home abuse based on a letter received by ABC7 News from Diana Harden. According to an ABC news report, Diana Harden mailed out the letter prior to killing her disabled daughter, Yvette, who was a resident at the Oakland Springs Health Center in Oakland, California and then turning the gun on herself. The letter apparently has details of verbal and physical abuse suffered by Yvette at the hands of the nursing home staff.

Allegations of Nursing Home Abuse

Diana and Yvette Harden's family members call the murder-suicide the "ultimate act of love." But doctors at the nursing home say Yvette Harden's talk about wanting to die was a bluff and that she did so to get attention. Details in the letter mailed out to the ABC News' investigative team a day before she killed her daughter and committed suicide, reveal that Yvette had been pressing Diana to help end her life for the last two years. Harden described the abuse her daughter suffered in the hands of nursing home staff who were supposed to take care of her. She said nursing home staff had cleaned Yvette by "hosing her down like a car" and called her names such as "fat pig."

Another resident at the facility tells ABC that she had heard nursing home staff call Yvette those names and verbally abuse her. ABC's investigations show that there were 32 substantiated complaints against Oakland Springs in the last one year. One incident involved a staff member failing to report that a resident had a broken finger. Another involved a resident's complaint that he suffered personal injury when a nurse's aide hit him in the forehead, stomach, right shoulder and chest area. Also another complaint stated that staff failed to keep a resident clean and free of feces and urine. State officials apparently forced the nursing home to fix those problems, but no citations were issued, or fines imposed.

An Experienced San Francisco Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

In my opinion, health officials should take Diana Harden's letter of warning extremely seriously, especially given the nursing home's history of abuse and neglect. This is a facility that is either being understaffed or one that has not screened/trained its employees properly. I trust officials are also talking to other residents in the nursing home to find out whether they have been subjected to verbal, physical or sexual abuse or neglect. Family members who have loved ones in this nursing home should find out whether they are being properly cared for.

Diane Harden's complaints should be thoroughly investigated before someone at this facility is seriously injured or killed. Victims who have lost loved ones as a result of nursing home abuse or negligence may be able to file a wrongful death wrongful death claim against the nursing home to not only be compensated but to also make sure the nursing home owners or administrators are held responsible for their wrongdoing. The best California personal injury lawyers will offer a free and comprehensive consultation to victims of nursing home abuse and their families.

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