OREM, Utah (KUTV) — Two employees of Hidden Hollow Care Center in Orem have been charged with aggravated abuse following a patient's suicide in 2022.
The Utah Attorney General's Office filed one count of third-degree felony charges against Amy Lauritzen and Laetitia Odunze on June 22.
According to court documents, Lauritzen, the center's Director of Nursing, allegedly administered borrowed medication to the patient, who had schizophrenia. She allegedly failed to provide the full prescribed dosage and neglected to schedule necessary medical evaluations.
MORE: Utah long-term care facilities face renewed calls for state oversight after resident death
The patient, who had a history of suicidal behavior, died after being struck by a vehicle in the center's parking lot. Orem Police Department ruled the incident as a suicide.
The Attorney General's Office claims Lauritzen and Odunze, a Hidden Hollow administrator, endangered the patient's health by mismanaging medications and neglecting proper follow-up on suicidal behaviors.
The Disability Law Center's report released the need for increased state oversight of long-term care facilities. It emphasized that the current system is ill-equipped to protect vulnerable populations, leaving them exposed to neglect, abuse, and preventable tragedies.
The Department of Health and Human Services acknowledged the challenges on Tuesday in relation to the Disability Law Center's report and took responsibility for them, specifically recognizing...
HealthNow New York Inc. failed to show that a whistleblower’s False Claims Act suit alleging healthcare fraud violates Article II of the US Constitution, a federal district judge said, but an appe...