Verdict in Wisconsin Wandering Case

The media reported the tragic case of Helen Ende, who froze to death outside Parkside Manor assisted living facility in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Her wrongful death is a devastating example of systemic negligence in long-term care.

On a bitterly cold December night in 2022 at around 12:40 a.m., Helen wandered outside, triggering a door alarm that the overworked staff ignored. The next morning, she was found unresponsive in the facility’s courtyard, dying of hypothermia after enduring hours in 9-degree temperatures, an agonizing and extremely preventable death.

The $4 million jury award to her family and criminal charges against three former employees, each facing up to 40 years in prison, underscore the facility’s culpability. Yet, no financial penalty or legal outcome can erase the horrors Helen endured. This was a woman stuck in the 9-degree weather in the middle of the night for hours. Though the time it took for her to die is not specified, she likely experienced confusion, terror, and unbearable physical pain for hours, all exacerbated by the knowledge that no one was coming to help. Unable to re-enter the building, she likely grew disoriented and terrified, her confusion compounded by the sound of the alarm and her own cries for help to which no one answered. As the minutes stretched into hours, her shivering would have grown violent, only to stop as her body grew exhausted leaving her unable to move or even call for help. The most devastating moment likely came when the alarm ceased, giving her a fleeting sense of hope that someone was coming to her rescue, hope that was cruelly extinguished as the hours dragged on.

The alarm, designed to alert staff to emergencies, sounded for nearly 30 minutes before being silenced without further investigation. This blatant disregard for safety protocols is a shocking failure and is particularly egregious considering the extreme weather conditions. Turning off the alarm without conducting a thorough check demonstrates a complete lapse in judgment and a disregard for the well-being of the facility’s residents. Tragically, hours passed before Helen’s absence was even noticed.

ALFs are entrusted to provide adequate supervision and ensure the safety of their residents, especially those with dementia or other cognitive impairments. For Helen to leave the building at nearly 1 a.m., remain outside for over seven hours, and be overlooked even after the alarm sounded, highlights a severe case of negligence and a systemic breakdown in care. From the inadequate staffing levels, (only two caregivers were reportedly responsible for more than 20 residents that night) to the failure to complete any routine checks, every safeguard meant to protect Helen failed.