3 nursing home workers in DeKalb plead not guilty in World War II veteran’s death
Three women indicted in connection with a World War II veteran’s death at a DeKalb County nursing home pleaded not guilty Wednesday, DeKalb district attorney spokeswoman Yvette Jones said.
The two nurses and nursing assistant were charged in February for the death of 92-year-old James Dempsey, who was found dead in his room at the Northeast Atlanta Rehabilitation Center on Feb. 27, 2014, DeKalb sheriff's spokeswoman Cynthia Williams said.
Loyce Pickquet Agyeman, 63, of Snellville, was charged with felony murder and neglect to an elder person, Williams said. Wanda Nuckles, 61, of Buford, was charged with depriving an elder person of essential services. Both were licensed nurses at the time.
Certified nurse assistant Mable Turman, 62, of Jonesboro, was charged with neglect to an elder person, Williams said. All three face concealing a death charges.
RELATED: Nursing home employees indicted in death of neglected World War II vet
Footage of the incident was made public in November after Dempsey’s family filed a lawsuit against the nursing home, which prompted law enforcement to open an investigation, Williams said.
The family said the footage shows the veteran requesting help multiple times but being ignored by the three women, Jones said in a February statement.
“Video surveillance shows the patient suffering in respiratory distress and repeatedly calling out for help,” Jones said. “Soon after his distress calls, the victim became unresponsive.”
No additional court dates have been set, Jones said.
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Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
