Police: Nearly 2 Hours Passed Before 911 Call In Nursing Home Resident’s Death

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — Windsor Locks police say they are continuing to investigate the death of a 93-year-old nursing home resident who was found unresponsive outside Bickford Health Care Center during extreme cold early Sunday morning.

Lt. Paul Cherniack of the Windsor Locks Police Department provided new details during a press conference Monday afternoon, emphasizing that the case remains in the fact-finding stage and that no conclusions have been reached.

Police identified the resident as Margaret Healey, 93. Police said the woman had Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, was known to wander, and had both short- and long-term health issues. She was wearing a body-worn alarm device intended to alert staff if she exited the building or went outside.

According to police, staff noticed around 4:45 a.m. on Feb. 8 that the resident was missing from her bed. Staff searched inside the facility and then expanded the search outside.

The woman was later found outside in the snow. “Staff claimed she had a pulse,” Lt. Cherniack said, adding that warming efforts were started after she was located.

Police said 911 was not called until 6:23 a.m. Emergency responders arrived, and the woman was pronounced dead at 6:46 a.m.

Officers said detectives are conducting interviews and reviewing statements from staff members. As part of the investigation, police have taken custody of the monitoring device the woman was wearing and are examining whether it functioned properly and whether any electronic records or logs exist showing if it activated.

Detectives are also working to gather surveillance footage from the facility and surrounding area to help establish a timeline of events.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the official cause, Lt. Cherniack said. He emphasized that investigators are not assigning blame at this stage.

“This is a fact-finding investigation,” he said. “We are not pointing fingers at anyone.”

The Connecticut Department of Public Health has been notified and is involved in reviewing the incident, police said. The woman’s next of kin have been notified.

Police said the investigation remains ongoing and that information may change as additional facts are confirmed.

In a statement, Jane Garibay, who represents Windsor and Windsor Locks and serves as House Chair of the Committee on Aging, said she was deeply saddened by the incident.

“I am heartbroken by the tragic events at Bickford Health Care Center in Windsor Locks that resulted in the death of a 93-year-old female resident,” Garibay said. “While we await the results of the police investigation to better understand what occurred, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the victim’s family and her fellow residents during this incredibly difficult time.

“There are many unanswered questions, and we look to the investigation to provide the clarity needed so we can work to prevent incidents like this from ever happening again,” she said.