South Holland Nursing Home Sued For Elderly Abuse
CHICAGO (CBS)--A disturbing video that has surfaced showing the abuse of an elderly nursing home patient in South Holland has sparked a lawsuit.
It's not the first time the elderly care facility has been accused of improper care.
Attorneys filed suit today against a South Holland nursing home on behalf of the family of a 76-year-old man being identified under the alias "Reggie Doe." The man, whose real name has not been released, is seen being abused by nursing home staff on a video.
Holland Home, 6300 Louis Avenue, and several certified nursing assistants employed at the facility are named in the suit, including Keyaira Garrett, Destiny Waller, Cecilia Whittenburg and Moe Odele.
The complaint alleges that "Doe," a stroke survivor diagnosed with dementia, was abused and humiliated by the defendants.
"Doe's" daughter says her father endured taunting, mockery and abuse.
"They invaded his privacy and pressured him into removing his pants and exposing his genitals," she said.
The video is too graphic to be published. It shows six workers surrounding him and ordering him to pull his pants down.
"It's just disgusting and degrading behavior," said attorney Margaret Battersby Black. "It's obviously immature and despicable and it's obviously unprofessional."
In another case from 2015, the family of an elderly woman who died of an overdose filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the same nursing home.
Dorothy Byrd, 98, was one of six seniors rushed to the hospital from Holland Home on Feb. 3 of that year after they were allegedly sedated by a nurse.
The lawsuit -- filed in Cook County Circuit Court against Holland Home and nurse Talisha Lillard -- alleged Lillard of being the only worker at the nursing home that night who could unlock the drug cabinet.
That civil case is still pending in court.
CBS 2's Audrina Bigos has the full story.
