Oklahoma City Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

Oklahoma City woman dies after neglect charge filed

Christa Ramirez 's sister, Carmella L. Saldana , 28, was arrested June 6 on a felony abuse and neglect by a caretaker charge. Oklahoma City police said the house on SW 30 where Saldana lived with their quadriplegic mother was infested with roaches and littered with animal feces.

The same charge was filed against Saldana on July 19, 2010, but the case was dismissed in March due to witness scheduling conflicts. Prosecutors refiled the charge on May 10.

Christa Ramirez, 27, said she hopes justice will finally be served.

“The house was nasty, and I've argued with my sister about that,” she said. “I want her to pay for what she did.”

Christa Ramirez said when she and Saldana and their brother, Michael Ramirez , were growing up, their single mother worked retail jobs to provide for them.

She said her mother took care of others in their neighborhood, too. Most people knew Deborah Ramirez as the “angel of the barrio,” her daughter said.

A stroke in 2006 left the right side of her body paralyzed, and on Aug. 7, Deborah Ramirez died at an Oklahoma City hospital at the age of 57.

“I miss talking to her,” Christa Ramirez said. “We always did everything together.”

No autopsy was performed. Christa Ramirez said her mother died of health complications, but she thinks the bedsores her mother developed while living with Saldana added to her failing health.

When Deborah Ramirez was taken to a hospital after being removed from her home in June 2010, a doctor found five bone-depth bed sores on her body, according to a police affidavit.

Deborah Ramirez told her children she did not want to go to a nursing home. Christa Ramirez said her sister took a more active role in caring for their mother after her stroke.

In 2009, Christa Ramirez said, her mother's speech began to fade and it became difficult to understand her. She said her mother wouldn't eat and suffered mini-strokes that left her completely paralyzed and bedridden.

Saldana became primary caretaker.

According to court documents, hospice employees set up appointments to teach Saldana about caretaking. On one occasion, Saldana refused to let them in the house, according to a police affidavit.

Police said there was a chart above Deborah Ramirez's bed, reminding caretakers to move her at least every two hours to prevent bed sores. After finding the sores, health care workers reported the living conditions to Adult Protective Services.

Nursing Home Abuse Attorney in Oklahoma City | Oklahoma City ...

Oklahoma City Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Placing an elderly loved one in an Oklahoma City nursing home or assisted living facility can be a difficult step to take, particularly when one considers the potential for abuse or neglect in certain facilities. We shouldn't have to worry about whether our loved one will be subjected to ill-treatment at a nursing home, but unfortunately this is something to think about when choosing a nursing home. Even after you have selected a seemingly reputable facility, it is important to keep a close eye on your loved one.

Do you suspect that someone you love has been victimized by nursing home abuse or negligence in the Oklahoma City area? Now is the time to act. An attorney at the Law Offices of Stipe and Belote can help you explore your options in taking legal action against the responsible facility or caregiver in order to stop the abuse from continuing to occur and to seek financial damages for medical care and other expenses related to the maltreatment.

There are many different types of nursing home abuse or negligence. These may be related to intentional misconduct, as in situations involving physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse. They may also be related to neglect, a failure to provide proper treatment or care under the circumstances. Medical malpractice , bedsores, medication errors, dehydration, malnutrition and poor supervision are all examples of nursing home negligence.

Our elderly loved ones deserve to be treated with compassion and respect. Make sure you take immediate action and consult with an attorney to review your options in filing a lawsuit against an Oklahoma City nursing home, assisted living facility or in-home caregiver if you suspect any form of elder abuse or neglect.

Contact an Oklahoma City Nursing Home Abuse Attorney at our law firm today!