St. Louis Nursing Home Owner On Trial for Abuse and Fraud
November 23 , 2005
The former operator of a chain of St. Louis, Missouri area nursing homes has pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges that he was siphoning money out of his nursing homes and providing negligent care and resources because of it. Robert D. Wachter, of Jackson Wyoming entered his plea. US Magistrate Judge David Noce will hear the case in St. Louis Federal Court.
Wachter's facilities were in such bad shape because of a lack of sufficient staffing, and abusive and inattentive care by the staff that did work at the nursing homes. The indictment states that Wachter billed the government for work that did not take place. The 54-page document also lists a series of abuses and even one death of a patient who died after being beaten by an employee.
Ruth Cawthon, another patient whose case was well known throughout the country, was found covered in ants shortly before she died at the Claywest nursing home. Cawthon's daughters, who cleaned the ants off of their mother, were present at Wachter's court hearing. A trial is set for March 6 before US District Judge Stephen Limbaugh.
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