Minnesota Security Hospital Faces Fines for Patient’s Death
The Department of Human Services report says a Minnesota Security Hospital security officer played a role in a patient’s death in January.
The Department of Human Services cited a security officer for neglect, as he did not do hourly rounds on the night of that Michael Francis Douglas, 41, was murdered after Darnell Dee Whitefeather, 32, allegedly stomped on the victim's head 30 times.
ST. PETER, Minn. – A Department of Human Services investigation has cited that a Minnesota Security Hospital security officer was partly to blame for a patient’s murder back in January.
During the Jan. 22 incident, Michael Francis Douglas, 41, died after Darnell Dee Whitefeather, 32, allegedly stomped on the victim’s head as many as 30 times on Jan. 22, because he was angry at staff members and wanted to get their attention, Associated Press reports.
In its report, DHS cited a security officer for neglect, as he did not do hourly rounds on the night of the attack.
DHS made a determination of substantiated maltreatment and ordered the hospital to pay a $1,000 fine and extended the conditional status of the facility’s license through late 2016. The department also ordered the hospital to implement hospital-wide training and one-on-one coaching to help staff members diffuse aggressive situations.
Meanwhile, the National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota, a mental health advocacy group, says the changes don’t believe the changes go far enough, Associated Press reports.
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