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A few weeks ago, we wrote about the first part of the Herald Courier's investigation, which found that administrators at the nursing home National Healthcare-Bristol ignored suspicions about nursing aid James Wright for seven years.  Now, in a follow up report, the newspaper is reporting that police investigating a case in 2007 failed to even interview Wright despite the fact that he was the prime suspect and that Wright had been suspected by staff members of molesting residents since 2000. 

Police files say that Wright became a suspect only after a private investigator hired by an attorney began making inquiries.  Despite the evidence the private investigator uncovered that implicated Wright not only in the 2007 case but in other instances of sexual assault at the nursing home, police decided not to interview him and the case remained unsolved.

Wright left National Healthcare-Bristol in 2007 with good recommendations from his supervisors, despite the suspicions many of his coworkers had about him.  He took a job at an assisted living facility, where he is accused of assaulting a resident as well. 

The failures of the local police and nursing home administrators finally came to light in 2009, when state investigators connected Wright to the several unsolved sexual assaults at National Healthcare and the other facility.  Wright was convicted for four of the assaults and is currently in jail.

This investigation by the Herald Courier is a harrowing wakeup call that illustrates that authorities who are supposed to protect our elderly --  police and nursing home staff -- often fail in their duty.  If you have a loved one in a nursing home, you should always watch for signs of sexual abuse and pursue your suspicions vigorously.  For more information on sexual assaults, visit the

James Wright, who worked at National HealthCare-Bristol from 2000 to 2007, is currently in jail serving a 60-year sentence for assault four residents at the facility.  Investigators have linked him to at least three other abuse cases and there are at least five other cases of abuse that occurred at the facility during that time period that may or may not be linked to Wright.  In addition, Wright is accused of assaulting a resident at another assisted living facility where he worked after leaving National HealthCare. 

The extensive investigation by the Bristol Herald Courier reveals that suspicions about Wright were well-known among staff and administrators at Bristol HealthCare for a long time.  In 2007, there were five complaints about Wright in the months leading up to his departure.  Despite this, he was not fired, but allowed to resign with positive recommendations.  He then got a job at an assisted living facility, where he is also accused of sexually assaulting a resident.

This is a classic example of a nursing home administration covering up abuse in order to save face and, in the process, allowing more abuse to happen.  When cases like this come to light, nursing home administrators will frequently try to shift all blame onto the perpetrator and deny any responsibility.  However, if they have suspicion that abuse is occurring and fail to take steps to stop it, they should be held responsible as well.

For more information on nursing home abuse, visit Solomon & Relihan's Nursing Home Advocates website.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, pedophile Charles Koons, whose mother was an employee of the school, was allowed to frequently visit the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, PA for over 20 years before his arrest in 2008.  He first came to the attention of Hershey police in 1998 when the mother of a student said he had revealed in therapy that he had been molested by Koons in 1989.  The boy was 8 at the time of molestation.  Hershey police investigated the case and notified school officials, but the case was closed without an arrest and the school officials did not take any action against Koons or his mother.

The case lay dormant until 2008, when police in a neighboring town arrested Koons on 17 counts of molestation that occurred between 2002 and 2008.  Koons pleaded guilty earlier this year to the 17 counts and is serving a 35- to 100-year prison sentence.

The Milton Hershey School is a prestigious and nationally renowned boarding school for disadvantaged youth.  It was founded 100 years ago by Hershey Company founder Milton Hershey and his wife.  The campus houses 1,800 students in 145 family-style group homes.

This case demonstrates why is it important for family members of residents in nursing homes, group homes, and assisted living facilities to be diligent in looking for and reporting suspicions of abuse and neglect.  Many people think that police and state and local licensing agencies will protect their loved ones from such egregious acts as sexual abuse, but these agencies cannot catch every act of abuse. 

If you believe your loved one is being abused, it is always a good idea to contact an attorney who is experienced in these types of abuse cases, who can help get justice for your loved one and prevent others from being abused.  For more information on group home abuse, visit Solomon & Relihan's Group Home Abuse website.

According to local TV station WTVD, 42-year-old Michael Brodie is the worker accused of the assault.  Brodie had prior charges on his record and a background check was performed, but his record did not preclude him from working at the nursing home.  For more information, you can see WTVD's report below. 

This story illustrates that, though states require background checks for nursing home employees, this does not always keep all criminals out.  Sexual assault is one of the most horrific crimes imaginable and we must all work to prevent it.  If you have a loved one who is in a nursing home, please pay attention for physical and emotional signs of abuse.  These can include:

Bruising on inner thighs

Sexually transmitted diseases

Difficulty walking or standing

Pain and/or itching in the genital area

Scared or timid behavior

Depressed, withdrawn behavior

Sudden changes in personality

Fear of certain people or of physical characteristics

If you suspect abuse, you should contact an Arizona nursing home abuse attorney immediately.  You should also consult the Arizona Department of Health Services website for more information on quality of nursing home care.

For more information on nursing home sexual abuse, visit the Nursing Home Advocates Sexual Assault information page.