Heartbroken family sues Portland nursing home facility after they let ... trends now
A heartbroken family has launched a lawsuit against an Oregon nursing home facility after an elderly grandmother with dementia wandered off and died.
Ki Soon Hyun, 83, was moved into the Mt Hood Senior Living Facility in Sandy, near Portland, on December 23 last year after her dementia worsened and it was determined she required around-the-clock care.
She wandered off less than 24 hours later and was found dead from hypothermia on Christmas Day in a wooded area about about 800 yards from the facility.
Her family alleges nursing home staff did not notify them of Hyun's disappearance or contact authorities until hours after she went missing, according to the lawsuit filed Wednesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
The complaint, obtained by Oregon Public Broadcasting, accuses the nursing home and the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) of being responsible for the wrongful death of Hyun and is seeking more than $10million.
A spokesperson for ODHS told the news outlet they 'feel deeply for families and their communities anytime there is a loss of life', but reportedly declined to comment on litigation.
Ki Soon Hyun, 83, (pictured) was moved into the Mt Hood Senior Living Facility in Sandy, near Portland , on December 23 last year after her dementia worsened and it was determined she required around-the-clock care
Hyun (pictured) wandered off less than 24 hours later and was found dead from hypothermia on Christmas Day in a wooded area about about 800 yards from the facility. Her family alleges nursing home staff did not notify them of Hyun's disappearance or contact authorities until hours after she went missing
The family is suing Mt Hood Senior Living Facility and its owner Yi Zhou for alleged responsibility in Hyun's death.
According to the complaint, the nursing home failed to secure building exits, install and utilize electronic monitoring systems, and immediately notify police of Hyun's disappearance.
The family further accused the facility of not creating a individualized care plan for Hyun despite her having dementia and reportedly being known to wander off.
The filing was also brought against Avant Senior Housing Managers and Consultants LLC, which managed and operated the facility and trained the staff, and the consultancy firm's owner Tammy Lynn Thwaite.
Additionally, the suit accuses the ODHS, which oversees the state's memory care facilities, of negligence, alleging it allowed the facility to operate despite reportedly being aware that the nursing home was understaffed and that employees were not fully trained and had not undergone proper background checks.
The family, according
