Criminal Neglect

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office arrested two caregivers neglecting to care for the wounds of two residents at Magnolia Manor-Spartanburg. The nursing home is part of the Fundamental family of companies. Fundamental Administrative Services and Fundamental Clinical and Operational Services manage and operate the facility owned by New York real estate multi-millionaire Murray Forman.

Officials with the state’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit arrested Alyssa Paige Morris and Heather Star Gowan. Both charged both with two counts of neglect of a vulnerable adult. Authorities accuse them of intentionally failing to care for two vulnerable adults. They failed or refused to change pressure wound dressings necessary to prevent fatal infections.

Both Morris and Gowan knowingly and willfully failed to provide the care necessary to maintain the health and safety of two Magnolia Manor residents. Investigators said both women intentionally failed to change the victims’ wound dressings. This caused the wounds to increase in size. The victims suffered unnecessary harm and risk to their physical health.

Neglect of a vulnerable adult is a felony. If convicted, the women face up to five years in prison.