Department of Health recommends revoking Toledo group home license after 2 deaths

7/1/2008

The Ohio Department of Health has proposed revoking the license of Angel Arms, a South Toledo group home, where two residents were found unconscious in an upstairs bedroom June 9 and later died, a spokesman for the agency said.

A letter dated June 26 was sent to Pamela Shay, who owns the facility, notifying her the state health department has proposed to revoke and not renew the license based on violations that existed June 9 "that jeopardized the health and safety of the residents of your facility."

John Jones, 79, died June 16 in the University of Toledo Medical Center, the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital. His temperature was measured at 105.5 degrees when he arrived at the hospital, Dr. Diane Barnett, a Lucas County deputy coroner, said.

His roommate, Thomas Calhoun, 47, was pronounced dead about 1:15 p.m. June 9 when police went to the home on a report of two unresponsive males.

Authorities said the temperature inside the room was measured at more than 90 degrees.

The investigation revealed that on the afternoon the men were found, employees at Angel Arms had not taken responsibility to ensure they took their morning medications, drank fluids knowing of the excessive heat, provided breakfast and lunch, and had not visually checked on their safety until 1 p.m. in the afternoon, the report states.

"Nothing was presented by the facility to demonstrate the residents were being monitored in the heat for safety or that they were found other than by chance," according to the report.