The family of an elderly woman, Deborah English, has filed a lawsuit against Torrey Pines Rehabilitation Hospital, claiming wrongful death and elder abuse following a tragic incident that resulted in her demise in a trailer fire.
The lawsuit, filed in District Court on Monday by Deborah’s children, James English, Bree Hillje, and Lacy Pearson, cites allegations of negligence and improper care by the rehabilitation center.
Deborah English, who was grappling with arthritis, back and leg pain, along with alcohol-induced dementia, was reportedly trapped in the trailer during the fire. She sustained severe injuries, suffering third-degree burns over six percent of her body before being taken to University Medical Center in critical condition.
Despite medical efforts, Deborah English passed away at the age of 74 on April 22, 2024.
The fire, which occurred on March 18, 2024, was allegedly set by her roommate, Betty Lurenz, who was arrested on multiple charges, including attempted murder and arson. Lurenz, aged 87 at the time of her death in July 2024, led to the dismissal of the case against her.
The lawsuit against Torrey Pines Rehabilitation Hospital outlines a history of care issues surrounding Deborah English. After her initial admission in July 2016 and subsequent transitions to various facilities, Deborah was re-admitted to Torrey Pines in November 2020. During this time, her family expressed concerns about her previously unsupervised care in a group home setting.
In January 2024, when preparing for a family funeral, the rehabilitation center assured the family that Deborah would not be moved to a group home again, promising them her continued residency at Torrey Pines.
However, shortly after this assurance, administrators transferred her to a group home run by LNO’s Independent Living without the family’s consent. The family alleges that LNO misrepresented the situation, stating the facility would meet her medical needs and provide constant supervision.
From February 19 to March 18, 2024, Deborah’s family made repeated requests for her return to Torrey Pines, fearing that her needs would not be adequately met in the new setting. The lawsuit alleges that James English had an alarming experience when he visited the LNO facility, discovering it was not the care environment that had been promised.
The facility that housed Deborah and three other elderly women reportedly lacked adequate supervision and support, contrary to what the family had been led to believe. The lawsuit argues that Torrey Pines should have known about Deborah’s need for constant monitoring and assistance.
Allegations from the family assert that the rehabilitation center failed to provide necessary care and services, including proper medication management and adequate nutrition.
An alarming turn of events related to Deborah’s finances came to light, with the family claiming that she did not receive any benefits from her Social Security account between February 1, 2024, and her death. Confusion arose as LNO informed the family that they believed her funds were being managed directly by Torrey Pines, which reportedly received payments from Deborah’s Medicaid benefits.
As her family was left in the dark about her financial situation, they sent money to LNO for her care, unaware that the facility was under the impression that it was providing her with essential resources.
Compounding these issues, when Deborah was transferred to the LNO facility, she did not possess any form of identification. This situation severely affected her treatment once she arrived at University Medical Center as the facility had not forwarded any of her medical records, which would have contributed to her care plan.
Despite repeated attempts by family members to contact Torrey Pines concerning Deborah’s well-being and medical status during her critical condition, their calls went unanswered.
Following the fire, the devastating loss of Deborah English meant she lost all her belongings, and LNO reportedly did not have insurance to cover the aftermath.
In their pursuit for justice, Deborah’s family accuses Torrey Pines Rehabilitation Hospital of negligence and failing to uphold their duty of care, alleging that the situations leading to the disastrous fire could have been prevented with appropriate measures in place.
The tragic circumstances surrounding Deborah English’s death have raised questions about elder care practices and the responsibilities of rehabilitation centers in ensuring the safety and well-being of their residents.
As the lawsuit progresses, the family hopes to shed light on the alleged failures of the rehabilitation facility while seeking accountability for their mother’s untimely death.
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