A Western Pennsylvania personal care home administrator has been charged with neglect and involuntary manslaughter after she reportedly failed to renew a patient’s medication that led to his death.
PA Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Wednesday that 48-year-old Kelly Gonzales did not provide a resident his medication and that later caused a fatal seizure in 2021 inside a person care home in New Castle.
Henry says Gonzales altered medical records to make it look like the health care provider discontinued the medication.
She was charged on Tuesday with felony counts of neglect of a care dependent person and tampering with records, and misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter.
She was arraigned and release don her own recognizance.
“The resident relied on this defendant’s care and professionalism — his life depended on it — and the defendant neglected that duty leading to tragic consequences,” Attorney General Henry said. “My office has no tolerance for providers who violate their duty of care and put our most vulnerable residents at risk.”
According to a criminal complaint, the resident was prescribed an anti-seizure medication after he was diagnosed with a seizure disorder.
He died on December 2, 2021 after not receiving the medication for 10 days.