The West Virginia state Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has filed criminal charges against two members of a hospital nursing staff over the death of a non-verbal patient a year ago.

Kylah Beard and Delilah Clayburn-Hill have been charged with neglect of an incapacitated adult resulting in death, the state Attorney General’s Office said.

According to the statement, Beard, a certified nursing assistant, put Larry Hedrick, a 61-year-old patient at Hopemont Hospital, into a bath on January 4, 2024, and “unreasonably failed to check the water temperature gauge.” As a result, Hedrick was left in 134-degree water for more than 45 minutes.

Hedrick, who required round-the-clock care, suffered second and third degree burns on his feet and legs. Hill, a registered nurse, was told about the incident but allegedly failed “to implement appropriate treatment and therapy for his injuries ‘including but not limited to the use of pain medication.'”

Hedrick was transfered to the West Penn Hospital Nursing-Burn Trauma Unit but died from his injuries on January 12.

The attorney general’s office said that more charges against other people who did not provide “hands on” care for Hedrick  may be forthcoming. Any such recommendations will be passed on to the Preston County Prosecuting Attorney, which is handling the case.

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[Featured image: Hopemont Hospital/West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources]