More Nursing Home Abuse-Drugs Missing

Rick Patterson

Attorney

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In Florida, the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit began investigating two female nurses after receiving an abuse report from the Florida Department of Children and Families in October 2006. The accused, Ashley Dawn Fralick, 27, and Melissa Elaine Bowen, 30, worked for Suwannee County nursing facility.

They have been arrested on several counts of neglect. "Knowing that elderly patients were denied essential medications is heartbreaking," Attorney General Bill McCollum said in a statement. "These victims rightly deserved and expected care and attention, but instead received neglect and abuse."

The nursing home abuse investigation revealed that more than 70 doses of medication were unaccounted for. The missing drugs were supposed to treat the elderly patients for pain, depression and high-blood pressure. If convicted, Fralick faces up to 80 years in prison and a fine of $80,000. While Bowen faces up to 50 years in prison and a fine of $50,000, which should allow them plenty of time for reflection.