News outlets have reported that the owner of a senior assisted living center in Washington County has pleaded guilty of deception and must serve time on probation.
According to the WishTV article by Kyla Russell, Brad King, owner and CEO of Emma’s Place Assisted Living, has been ordered by a judge to close the nursing facility, which served roughly 6-10 residents.
The article goes on to state that King falsely “advertised Emma’s Place as a licensed facility and presented himself as a professionally licensed caretaker”, despite possessing no such professional licenses. The article further reported that “records from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency show King received a Licensed Practical Nurse’s license in 2013. It expired in 2016 and was not renewed. Emma’s Place was still providing medical care to residents in 2021, five years after King’s license expired and three years after the first complaint made against the facility.”
According to the court’s affidavit for probable cause, Brad King received a letter in 2019 to “cease and desist from operating and holding … to the public as a licensed health facility”, but “continued advertising in the local newspaper that they were “Professionally Licensed.”
WishTV reports that the attorney general’s office had received multiple complaints of improper care provided by the facility.
The complaints, according to a statement by the Attorney General’s office, were of “stage 4 bedsores, resulting in an emergency room visit as well as blatant misrepresentation of the facility’s qualifications. Specifically, the facility claimed to be fully staffed with licensed nurses. When asked if the facility had licensed nurses and was capable of properly caring for elderly people with medical conditions, the president and CEO falsely represented their qualifications.”
“Stage 4 Pressure Ulcer – Full-thickness skin and tissue loss with exposed or directly palpable fascia, muscle, tendon, ligament, cartilage or bone in the ulcer. Slough and/or eschar may be visible.” -NPIAP
The article further reports that in August 2021 King was charged with felony deception, misdemeanor deception, and practicing nursing without a license.
According to the report, King pled guilty to felony deception on August 15, 2022, and the other charges were dismissed.
According to the article, a judge sentenced King to a year-and-a-half of probation plus 30 hours of community service. Additionally, the judge ordered that Emma’s place permanently close within 6 months, and that King make arrangements for the current residents to receive professional care.
The investigations leading to Brad King’s charges and the closing of Emma’s Place were made possible in large part by the official complaints that were filed by residents of the facility and their families.
The importance of reporting inadequate nursing home care cannot be overstated. Reporting nursing home abuse or neglect to a state investigator allows them the power to enter a facility without notice, review patient records, interview staff, and gather important evidence addressing the issue of concern. This process is critically important in the state’s ability to effect and enforce changes at the facility that may prevent further harm to patients.
So, the bottom line is this: if you have concerns about nursing home neglect or abuse, you should report it. Filing a complaint is quick and easy. By taking the time to do it, you can help make a difference.
For information about filing how to request an investigation of nursing home abuse and neglect, click here.
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