Nursing Home Death
Nursing Home Death Save Email Print
Posted: 6:03 AM Mar 20, 2008
Last Updated: 6:03 AM Mar 20, 2008
Reporter: WSAZ NewsChannel 3
Email Address: news@wsaz.com

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GRAYSON, Ky. - (WSAZ) - A grand jury has indicted a second person in the death of a nursing home resident.

Michael Price, who had cerebral palsy, died last fall at Community Presence in Grayson, Kentucky.

A Carter County grand jury indicted Brandon Starotska on manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence and abuse or neglect of an adult by a caretaker.

The grand jury also indicted Matthew Bortles on similar charges.

The indictments allege Bortles and Starotska wantonly caused the death of Michael Price by restraining him in such a manner as to cause him to stop breathing.

Bortles was arrested back in November by Grayson Police.

Nine other former employees of the nursing home also have charges against them.

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Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 4, 2008 at 07:24 PM
if anybody really cared, they would speak up and tell the truth to someone that can help get justice for mike.

Posted by: people helping people on Mar 22, 2008 at 04:53 PM
Would people please quit calling CPI a nursing home IT ISN'T

Posted by: Anonymous on Mar 22, 2008 at 12:17 PM
PLEASE CLARIFY YOUR STORY! THIS DID NOT OCCUR IN NURSING HOME. THIS FACILITY IS NOT A NURSING HOME!

Posted by: Informed Ex Employee on Mar 20, 2008 at 09:44 PM
I was employed at CPI for many years and had the pleasure of knowing the allegedly abusive staff. Karl, Todd, Regina, JR, and Ira are some of the kindest, most caring people I have ever met. I feel like they, along with many other "bad apples" are innocent casualties in the war that the state of KY is waging against the company. Where was DMR before Mikey died? Why, if CPI is such an abusive environment, did the state issue a one year certification(the longest one possible) less then 6 months prior to the shut down attempt. I think that the media in general is more focused on catchy headlines then the actual truth, and it saddens me to think that Mikey's death has been exploited for ratings. That, to me, is the real tragedy

Posted by: Hmmmm...... on Mar 20, 2008 at 01:39 PM
Anyone who would harm a person with cerebral palsy should go to prison. To "One of the Bad Apples": I don't care if Mr. Price also had a mental illness or behavioral problem. This is absolutely inexcusable, because there is no way they restrained that man enough to stop his breathing, without knowing they had gone too far.

Posted by: information on Mar 20, 2008 at 12:44 PM
If WSAZ would look the charges against the most of the other 9 have been dropped. But of course they only like to report what they already knew and not what the truth is now.

Posted by: One of the bad apples on Mar 20, 2008 at 11:57 AM
here we go again, first of all cpi is not a nursing home. Cpi worked with people that had behavor problins ,impulse control disorder,mood D/O ,Conduct D/O solitary aggressive type, and much more so from time to time YES staff had to do restraints,BUT was not prohibited by law . This is for WSAZ the other ten people that has been charged with abuse and neglect are not concetted in any way with mike price death, pepole let me tell you one more thing CPI did every thing that was in the best to take care of the residents. at no time did the other 10 pepole do any thing to hurt or belittle any resident , look at all the videotapes and you will see that their was love for the residents .

Posted by: Jeff on Mar 20, 2008 at 10:02 AM
I definitely agree with Kenny - this happens far too often. This site discusses that a bit and helps loved ones understand warning signs of abuse and neglect: http://nursinghomelawyer.com/nursing_home_law_firm/nursing_home_research/nursing_home_abuse/index.htm

Posted by: micro on Mar 20, 2008 at 09:20 AM
not a witch hunt but a huge lesson for operators of nursing homes . the authorties are useing a tactic to squeeze those indicted because they need to turn some of them as witnesses. sometimes it works but sometimes amnesia sets in.

Posted by: SLICK on Mar 20, 2008 at 08:27 AM
how could that many people be so cold hearted toward someone.it seems like at least one of them would have made a stand to try to stop this before it went that far.god bless the family i hope they get justice.

Posted by: Frustrated on Mar 20, 2008 at 08:17 AM
I am speaking for one of the nine employees that were charged. Those involved in the incident should be investigated and sent to trial, but this whole thing is a witch hunt. I know personally one of the employees for over 30 years. This person has worked with children (including mine), elderly, and the handicap. This person is one of the most caring, loving human beings. I could produces dozens and dozens of character witnesses for this person alone. Alot of the indictments in this case are just a farse to cover someone not doing their job before this incident. I feel sorry for the family that lost their loved one and they deserve justice but going after innocent people who did nothing but care and support their loved one is wrong. I will pray for the family of Michael Price and for my friend that does not deserve to be treated as a criminal. May God be with them. May the real truth be revealed and those who are innoccent be able to put their lives back together.

Posted by: KENNY in KENOVA on Mar 20, 2008 at 08:04 AM
this happens more and more these days,i hope they make an example out of these people so other nursing homes will make sure it doesnt happen again. hurting the elderly is like hurting a child they cant deffend themselfs and certainly dont deserve to be treated badly.

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