Two nurses at Hopemont Hospital in West Virginia have been accused of leaving a disabled patient in a scalding hot bath, which led to his death. The patient, 61-year-old Larry Hedrick, who could not speak and needed constant care, was left in the water for 47 minutes on January 4, 2024. The water temperature was 134°F (56.7°C), which caused severe burns to his feet and legs. Larry Hedrick passed away a week later at a hospital in Pittsburgh.
Hopemont Hospital is a small facility with 98 beds located in Terra Alta, West Virginia. Two hospital workers, Registered Nurse Delilah Clyburn-Hill and Certified Nursing Assistant Kylah Beard, have been charged with felony neglect of an incapacitated adult. According to an investigation by the state’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Beard helped Hedrick into the bath but didn’t check the water temperature. The water caused second- and third-degree burns on his legs and feet.
Clyburn-Hill, who was told about the burns, allegedly did not provide proper care for Hedrick’s injuries, which included pain medication and necessary treatments. The two workers are now facing charges for their roles in his death.
The case has drawn attention, with the incoming governor of West Virginia calling it “very disturbing.” He has promised that the state’s investigators will work with local authorities to ensure that justice is served.
In a separate case, a woman from Minnesota, Rachel Modrow, was sent to prison after her 9-year-old daughter died from an asthma attack. Modrow, 36, allegedly refused to let her daughter’s friend’s parents take the girl to the hospital and insisted on treating the asthma attack at home with steam baths and other home remedies. The child’s condition worsened, and she died after not receiving proper medical attention. The mother was accused of neglecting her daughter, even as the child struggled to breathe.
Both cases highlight serious issues of neglect and have sparked public outrage. The families of the victims are seeking justice, and authorities are taking steps to ensure accountability for these tragic incidents.
