Nursing home aide charged with manslaughter

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (WABC) -- The family of an elderly woman who died while in the care of a nurse's aide is speaking out.

The aide has now been charged with manslaughter.

Maureen Flowers is also accused of lying about the accident trying to cover up what really happened.

"I hope and pray that no one else has to go through what we've gone through," said Rev. Lee Thompson, the victim's son.

It has been a difficult year and a half, even for a man of faith. Reverend Lee Thompson and his family are still mourning the loss of his mother Sinia Malone.

"My mother and I have always been side by side and hand in hand," Thompson said.

Malone was a patient at the Tarrytown Hall Care Center where she died suddenly in February 2012.

The 86-year-old was allegedly dropped by a nurse's aide who was trying to lift her from a wheelchair.

Nursing home procedure requires two people use a mechanical lift to hoist bedridden patients.

Malone suffered a fractured spine, leg and broken nose in the fall.

Authorities say Maureen Flowers' immediate concern was to convince another aide to say she was present and assisting, before seeking medical help for her bleeding patient.

"Something was wrong, and they were trying to cover-up what had taken place," Thompson said.

Authorities initially charged Flowers with endangering a vulnerable elderly or disabled person and for trying to cover up the incident.

But Wednesday, the charges were upgraded to manslaughter.

The state attorney general whose office oversees nursing homes stated: "The egregious lack of care afforded this frail resident warrants the serious charges against this aide."

As for Reverend Thompson he says he hopes the case leads to stricter oversight.

"If they do it to mine, why wouldn't they do it to yours," Thompson said.

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