Supervise and Protect

Nursing homes have a duty to supervise the resident, prevent altercations, and maintain the health, safety, and well-being of the residents in their care. The industry is failing.

Fox59 reported that a resident smothered another resident with a pillow causing her premature and wrongful death. Court records details what led to the victim’s death inside Homestead Healthcare Center nursing home. A nurse walked into the victim’s room and found her being smothered with a pillow by another patient. Police arrested a 60-year-old suspect for murder.

Police claim resident Dewayne Freeman was found lying on top of the victim, holding a pillow over her face. The coroner’s office has identified the deceased as 80-year-old Patricia Newnum.

Court records claim the suspect, who ran down the hallway after being discovered in the victim’s room, gave conflicting reports of what happened. Freeman allegedly told police the victim was already dead by the time he entered the room.