50 Mentally Disabled Died in Texas Institutions in 2008 More than 50 mentally disabled patients in the large state-run institutions of Texas died in the past year from preventable conditions often related to poor care, a federal investigation revealed Tuesday. Among other findings were that a resident had swallowed latex gloves three times and that a teenage resident with mild mental retardation might have been raped by a male employee. Overall, the state investigated at least 500 allegations of abuse, neglect and other mistreatment of residents from July through September, according to the letter sent by the Department of Justice to Gov. Rick Perry. The findings mark the third time in three years that the Justice Department has investigated the Texas facilities, known as state schools. Similar findings of mistreatment at the Lubbock State School came out in 2006; the latest letter details deficiencies in Texas' 12 other state schools. |
December 3, 2008
50 Mentally Disabled Died in Institutions in 2008
