Workers charged in Boardman nursing home death

BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) –Prosecutors in Boardman say three nursing home workers made a mistake with drugs and a patient died because of it.

The death at the center of the case happened in 2015 at Greenbriar Healthcare Center in Boardman.

It took the Ohio Attorney General’s Office the next two years to put together its case, and now investigators are charging those that they say are responsible.

Assistant Mahoning County Prosecutor Michael McBride said the Greenbriar patient died after the employees gave him the wrong drug and then tried to treat his overdose on their own.

“We believe, and actually the coroner’s report indicates, it actually caused the death of this gentleman,” McBride said.

Johonna Hull, 28, of East Liverpool, was arrested and charged with abuse of a patient and tampering with medical records.

Brenda Lamancusa is also charged with patient abuse. Another person, who hasn’t yet been arrested, also faces charges.

The victim’s identity is being protected under privacy laws.

Complaints from nursing home deaths are investigated by the Attorney General’s Office. McBride said this case involved extensive medical review.

In November of 2015, just after the death, Greenbriar Health Care was placed on a Medicaid “worst of the worst” watch list.

The state noted several problems with prescription protocols and other issues.

The facility improved enough to be taken off that watch list in February of this year.

McBride said this is the only criminal abuse case that he has handled from the nursing home over the past several years.

Editor’s note: This story is corrected to show that Hull is 28 years old, according to court records and the Licensing Bureau. A police report listed Hull’s age and birthdate, indicating she was 18.

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Workers charged in Boardman nursing home death