State Department Of Health Files Court Complaint Against Bethesda Gardens

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – A local assisted living facility is the subject of an injunction by filed by the State of Indiana, Vigo County, and Indiana State Department of Health. This comes after a resident allegedly wandered outside and died due to exposure.

The complaint and application for a preliminary and permanent injunction was filed Tuesday in Vigo County Superior Court against Bethesda Gardens.

The State says it received a complaint that Bethesda Gardens was providing services outside the legal limitations of an unlicensed assisted living facility.

Veronica Hofman, was a memory care resident.  Autopsy reports show that she died of hypothermia after wandering outside of the facility in the early morning hours of January 26. She was found lying in the yard outside.

Investigators say that courtyard alarms were not working or had been turned down and that an employee said surveillance cameras were also not working at the time due to construction.

According to the complaint, Bethesda Gardens offered services that only licensed health facilities can legally perform.

The State wants the facility to be prohibited from continuing to operate as an unlicensed health facility.