Nursing Home Abuse Caught on Video Leads to Lawsuit and Arrests

The family of an Alzheimer’s patient at a Pennsylvania nursing home caught employees abusing and humiliating their 78-year-old relative with a hidden video camera after officials at the facility refused to take action. 

Mary and Paul French have filed a nursing home abuse lawsuit against Quadrangle Continuing Care Retirement Community in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, after hidden camera footage showed staff members mocking and abusing Lois McCallister, including forcing the resident to go topless.

The family members allege that they used hidden surveillance video to capture the nursing home abuse after their concerns were ignored by the facility management.

The nursing home video footage ultimately led to the arrest of three Quadrangle employees involved in the abuse. Samirah Traynham, 22, Tyrina Griffin, 21, and Ayesha Muhammad, 19, have all been charged with abuse and assault. The three women have pled not guilty to the charges and are expected to face trial next month.

All three women, the nursing home and the facility’s parent company, Sunrise Senior Living, have been named as defendants in the lawsuit, which was filed earlier this month in Delaware County court.

Sunrise Senior Living operates more than 300 care facilities in three countries.

The nursing home lawsuit accuses the facility of negligence, failing to properly train workers, chronic understaffing and a number of other nursing home regulation violations.

According to the complaint, the Frenches complained about potential abuse at the Pennsylvania nursing home before installing the hidden camera, but were ignored by staff members.

The incident led to the Quadrangle losing its license temporarily in April of this year after a state investigation of the incident. The facility has since been allowed to keep its license while it appeals the state’s decision.