Local Family Sues Nursing Home, Claims Coverup on Death
By: Robert Bumsted
Updated: March 5, 2013
In December 2011, Betty Riley died after a fight with a fellow alzheimer's patient at the Summit City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Clinton Street in Fort Wayne.
Riley's family says that the nursing home claimed at the time that Betty's death was caused by a fall that she had during a stroke. However, a police investigation ruled the death a homicide as a result of the fight.
According to inspection records obtained from the Indiana Department of Health, the nursing home had previous violations for not keeping alzheimer's patients supervised. The lawsuit claims that the nursing home did not have enough staff on hand to prevent the fight.
The Riley family is suing for wrongful death and breach of contract. Riley's son says at the very least he would like the more than $30 thousand in expenses for his mother's funeral to be paid.


