Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 18 SepteMber 2017

Abuse allegations, arrests mount at state mental hospital

and other crimes by rea- partment report.
son of insanity, and others “He’s been traumatized,”
committed voluntarily or Kangas said. “That’s not
involuntarily by civil courts. how we should be treated
Nine staff members were when we have cancer,
arrested and charged this and it should not be how
month with cruelty to per- we’re treated when we
sons and disorderly con- have mental illnesses. I just
duct. couldn’t imagine that this
The arrests were in con- all went on.”
nection with a 62-year-old The Department of Men-
male patient found in a tal Health and Addiction
report by the state Depart- Services called the allega-
ment of Public Health to tions “reprehensible” in a
have been kicked, jabbed, statement, saying it is co-
poked and taunted by operating with the police
staff over several weeks investigation and vowing
this year. The agency in- to “do whatever is neces-
vestigated at the request sary to prevent future inci-
of the federal Centers for dents.”
Medicare & Medicaid Ser- The 31 employees possi-
This Friday, Sept. 15, 2017 photo shows the Whiting Forensic Division maximum-security psychiatric vices, which regulates the bly face further discipline
hospital in Middletown, Conn. Allegations of staff misconduct at Connecticut’s only maximum-se- hospital, following a whis-
curity psychiatric hospital are mounting after a whistleblower complaint about abuse of a patient including being fired, as
led to some staff suspensions and several arrests. tleblower complaint. well as the possible loss or
(AP Photo/Dave Collins) The arrests followed the suspension of their state li-
By DAVE COLLINS misconduct and abuse, ed.” suspensions of 31 employ- censes, officials said.
Associated Press according to a state law- Somers did not disclose the ees on claims they took Officials with the Depart-
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — maker who is calling for names of the people who part in the abuse or knew ment of Mental Health and
At Connecticut’s only max- legislative hearings. have called her, but she about the abuse and did Addiction Services want to
imum-security psychiatric Current and former staff did say some of their alle- not report it. Many inci- talk with Somers — co-chair
hospital, staff members members, as well as pa- gations include staff abus- dents were recorded by of the legislature’s Public
put a diaper on a patient’s tients’ relatives, are alleg- ing patients, overriding of surveillance cameras. Health Committee, which
head, threw food at him, ing abuse of other patients doctors’ orders and forg- The patient was commit- oversees the department
poured water over him, and staff wrongdoing, she ery of doctors’ signatures ted to Whiting in 1995 after — about the new abuse al-
put salt in his coffee, kicked said.“It’s really incompre- on documents.Whiting is being acquitted by reason legations, said department
him and placed a mop hensible that this could part of Connecticut Valley of mental disease or de- spokeswoman Mary Kate
on his head after clean- happen in this day and Hospital, a psychiatric care fect in the killing of his fa- Mason.
ing a floor, according to a age,” said Sen. Heather complex run by the state ther in Greenwich, accord- The hospital workers’ labor
state report.Thirty-one staff Somers, a Republican from Department of Mental ing to his court-appointed union, District 1199 of the
members at the Whiting Groton. “It’s like something Health and Addiction Ser- co-conservator, Karen Service Employees Interna-
Forensic Division hospital out of a Stephen King nov- vices. The division includes Kangas. He was diagnosed tional Union, said in a state-
in Middletown have been el. I think it’s very important 106 beds for patients in with schizoaffective disor- ment that patient abuse is
suspended, and nine have that we, as legislators, get maximum security and an- der, autism spectrum disor- unacceptable.
been arrested. More ar- to the bottom of this. If you other 141 beds for those in der and other conditions, The union is calling for new
rests are expected, police are put in the state’s care, “enhanced security.” The and has been combative management, better train-
say, and calls are pouring you should be cared for. patients include people with hospital staff, accord- ing and more staff at the
in with more allegations of You shouldn’t be torment- found not guilty of murder ing to the Public Health De- hospital.Among the staff
Police: members arrested was a
forensic head nurse, Mark
Wisconsin man caused home blast to mask wife killing Cusson, 49, of Southing-
ton. Cusson is in a “state of
shock” over his arrest and
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Po- is jailed on suspicion of first- Police spokesman Joel De- iner’s office says she died believes he will be found
lice have arrested a Wis- degree intentional homi- Spain expects Pirus to be from “homicidal firearm innocent, said his lawyer,
consin man suspected of cide, arson and recklessly charged Monday. trauma.” Brian Woolf.“We have in-
killing his wife and blowing endangering safety. The house exploded and Authorities allege Steven Pi- formation from a variety
up their home to try to cov- Pirus is accused of fatally caught fire Wednesday. rus manipulated his home’s of sources that this patient
er up the crime. shooting 50-year-old Lee Her body was found Friday natural gas system to cause was an extremely difficult
Authorities arrested Anne Pirus. Investigators morning in the wreckage the explosion. Police say patient and some of the
59-year-old Steven Pirus of believe she could have of the house. The Dane the blast also endangered actions they took were jus-
Madison Saturday night. He been killed months ago. County medical exam- his neighbors.q tified,” Woolf said. q