Nursing Home Resident Dies After Being Fed Dishwashing Liquid

An elderly woman living in a California nursing home died after being fed dishwashing liquid instead of juice. Two other residents at the home were also served dishwashing liquid. They survived, but were hospitalized for injuries caused by ingesting the toxic chemicals.

The victim, Gertrude Elizabeth Murison Maxwell, was a 93-year-old resident living at Atria Park, a senior living facility in San Mateo, California. Her daughter, Marcia Cutchin, says her mother suffered from dementia and needed assistance to eat and drink. Cutchin stated that, “You have to hold a cup to her mouth and tip it into her mouth.”

According to a CNN report, the poisoning occurred when an employee served the dish soap to Maxwell and two other residents. Atria Park stated that they immediately suspended the staff involved in the incident, pending an investigation.

Dishwashing Liquid Ingestion Led to Fatal Chemical Burns

After ingesting the dishwashing liquid, Maxwell was taken to the hospital with severe blistering of the esophagus and throat. According to Cutchin, the complex told her the alkaline dishwashing solution eats protein.

Cutchin says her mother’s children and grandchildren are grieving the loss of Maxwell. The bizarre twist is that Cutchin and her family chose Atria because it had a good reputation.

According to a report in The Guardian, this fatal incident only further magnifies the vulnerability of nursing home residents. Currently there are approximately 800,000 residents in the U.S. who live in long-term care facilities.

An Investigation Into the Incident is Ongoing

Both police and the state department of social services are investigating the incident to find out how this could have happened. Atria claims it is also conducting an internal investigation into the matter.

According to the California Department of Social Services Ombudsman, the facility is fully cooperating with police.

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