Allegations of abuse are growing against a Gwinnett County hospital that treats people with drug addictions and mental illnesses. Now, a former employee at the facility is speaking out.
Lakewood Behavioral Health, located in unincorporated Norcross, is facing more than 40 complaints of patient abuse and neglect, Channel 2 Action News reported.
Gwinnett police said they are investigating the complaints and looking for more witnesses, AJC.com previously reported.
The complaints include physical abuse and neglect. The youngest accuser is 23 years old and the oldest is 65, according to police spokeswoman Cpl. Michele Pihera.
At this point, no charges have been filed.
MORE: Abuse complaints prompt probe of Gwinnett treatment facility
Ledesha Haynes, a former human relations director for the facility, described scenes of patients dragged down hallways, and one patient who was found in a freezer crying. The incident was not documented correctly, she told Channel 2.
“It was covered up,” Haynes said.
“There were years that I would talk about that I feared coming to work and that a news station or a police station would be at the front door saying we were shut down,” Haynes said.
Haynes said a lack of training and corporate greed is what put residents’ lives in danger.
She has since spoken to detectives about the case, Channel 2 reported. The facility is still operating.
Channel 2 and AJC.com could not reach Lakewood for comment.
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