Facility Owner Accused Of Neglecting Resident

TALLAHASSEE, FL –The owner of a Broward County assisted living facility has been arrested on charges she neglected an elderly resident of the facility.

Mileidy Reyna is being held at the Broward County jail. She is charged with one count of neglect of an elderly person. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the 17th Judicial Circuit. The arrest resulted from an investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the attorney general’s office acting on information received from the Department of Children and Families and the Patient Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation (PANE) project.

Reyna, 34, owned and operated Leo Ray, an assisted living facility located in Hollywood. The investigation revealed that Reyna was the primary caretaker of the 93-year old resident whose primary physician had prescribed a nurse evaluation and wound care treatment. Reyna neglected to provide treatment for the victim and the wounds continued to worsen, ultimately causing the resident be taken to the hospital. The PANE Project plays a key role in detecting abuse and neglect of elderly and disabled patients, helping to ensure that efficient and effective health care is being provided. Under Florida statutes, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is charged with protecting Florida’s elderly and disabled citizens and investigating any allegations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The responsibilities also include coordinating multi-agency inspections on care facilities throughout the state which have resulted in numerous facilities being shut down due to substandard conditions and care. The PANE teams receive information from various sources, including the Department of Children and Families, and the project is unique in Florida to the Attorney General’s Office.

The Attorney General’s Office has several PANE teams located throughout the state, all dedicated to protecting Florida’s elderly citizens. The project was initiated in 1994 and in 2007 alone has reviewed nearly 11,000 reports, 20 of which have led to arrests by the teams. 10-11-07

thanks to LoriD for sending in the story