Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Health Care Worker Arrested for Allegedly Neglecting an Elderly Adult for Over a Month

When a health care worker in a long-term care facility fails to provide an elderly patient with the proper care and supervision outlined in state and federal standards, they can be held accountable for their negligence. In May, Northwest Florida Daily News reported that a Fort Walton Beach woman was arrested on charges of elder abuse after she was accused of neglecting an elderly adult for more than a month. The source identified the woman as Deanna Kay Tobin.

Tobin, who was employed at Destin Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, was responsible for overseeing “the care of pressure wounds by nurses and staff under her supervision.” After an investigation determined that she had failed to perform her duties, authorities arrested her. The source says the unit manager “failed to validate an elderly resident’s medication administration records and treatment administration records.” Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) conducted the investigation and also recovered “58 missing treatments from December 13, 2018, to January 15, 2019.”

The source also says that Tobin’s personal file revealed “several corrective action plans” including one from May 25, 2017 that cited a “violation for failure to validate a patient’s medication records.”

Tobin has been charged with one count of neglect of an elderly person, which is a third-degree felony. If she is convicted, she could be looking at spending several years behind bars and having to pay thousands of dollars in fines. The source highlighted that “MFCU will prosecute the case through an agreement with William Eddins, State Attorney of the First Judicial Circuit.”

After the investigation, Attorney General Ashley Moody addressed the alarming news by issuing this statement, “The behavior exhibited by this caregiver is disturbing and unacceptable. Residents and loved ones should never have to worry about whether treatment will be administered while in a long-term care facility. To neglect a resident for more than a month is shameful, dangerous and will not be tolerated.”

Do you suspect that your loved one was injured or mistreated by a nursing home staff member in Fort Walton Beach, FL?

If you think staff members at your loved one’s nursing home are guilty of neglect and/or abuse, it’s time you schedule a consultation with the personal injury lawyers at Browning Law Firm. If someone else’s negligence or careless behavior has caused your loved one to suffer, legal action may be warranted. If you would like to find out whether you have a valid case against a nursing home staff member or the facility, contact Browning Law Firm to speak with a Fort Walton Beach, FL personal injury attorney.

Browning Law Firm can be reached at:

418 Racetrack Road NE, Ste B

Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547

Phone: 850-344-1736

Website: www.browninglawfirm.com