NORTH MIAMI, FLA. (WSVN) - A family is outraged and demanding answers after their loved one was found dead at a rehab center after he was reported missing.
Elin Etienne’s body was found in a storage room at North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, located at 1255 NE 135th St., Monday morning.
According to Etienne’s family, on Aug. 14, he was admitted to the rehab center recovering from a stroke. Family members say he was also diagnosed with dementia.
A week after he was admitted, on Aug. 22, Etienne’s family said the rehab center contacted them and told them that he self-discharged, which prompted his family to file a missing persons report with the North Miami Police Department.
“We thought that he went missing, we never expected him to be dead in the nursing home,” said Ruth Keisha Etienne who is a granddaughter.
Etienne’s family said that the staff at the rehab center checked his assigned room and could not find him.
“They said he signed himself out. He doesn’t have the capacity to sign himself out,” said Kimberly Etienne who is a relative.
“We put out an SOS that he was missing and had been missing since the 22nd,” said Rivly Bruce who is Etienne’s niece.
According to police, the rehab center said that Etienne, 71, was not diagnosed with dementia. The family disputes that claim.
Once he was reported missing, police arrived at Etienne’s family’s home to conduct a welfare check.
On Aug. 26, family members did a check of his room in the center revealing his belongings were still there.
On Sept. 2, an anonymous staff member at the rehab center contacted the family and told them that his body was found in another room. He was identified by the wristband that had his name on it.
“I was told by an insider that they found him in either inside a storage room or the library and he was dead,” said Bruce. “They had identified our uncle because he was still wearing his nursing home bracelet. Now we are just waiting for an autopsy report to see what the cause of death was.”
NMPD confirmed Etienne’s body was discovered in a storage closet.
“The detective told us the reason why he would not let us see the body because it had deteriorated and decomposed so much, that he didn’t want us to have that image in our head.”
On Monday, 7News was outside the center as the medical examiner removed Etienne’s body.
The family says the administrators are refusing to speak to them.
“The entire family is here and there’s been no answers,” said Kimberly.
“I understand the nursing home is aware that we’re aware but I think the acknowledgment would be more humane. To just let us know this is what happened, but due to embarrassment I guess they’re not talking,” said Bruce.
Police were seen at the rehab center throughout the day as they continued the investigation.
Family members are now waiting to learn exactly what caused their loved one’s death, fearing he went days without food, water and his medication.
“That’s horrifying because that means he died alone and he died suffering,” said Bruce.
On Tuesday, family members were seen across the street from the rehab center with signs reading “Justice for Elin Etienne.”
“A body was there, a corpse for 12 days. The health department should be out here,” said Kimberly.
According to Medicare.gov, the rehab center has a two out of five star overall rating. When it comes to health inspections, they received one star out of five.
The site indicates the center has been hit with over $23,000 in federal fines over the past three years.
“We, as the community, need to come together and make sure our most vulnerable are taken care of,” said Kimberly.
It is unclear how long Etienne was at the rehab center.
Heartbroken, the family is now stressing the importance of checking in on your loved ones.
“I can’t urge this enough if you have family members here at the North Dade Rehabilitation Center, please come check on your loved ones,” said Kimberly. “We were here knocking, yelling, screaming, begging, just pleading with them. Let us his room, let us see what’s going on and they would not. It wasn’t until the body was discovered that we’ve gotten this far.”
The rehab center released a statement on Tuesday:
Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family members affected by this devastating event. At North Dade Nursing and Rehab, we are deeply committed to the health, well-being and safety of our residents, above all else. Our team is cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities, including law enforcement and our state regulatory partners. We are compassionate caregivers, and that will help get us through this difficult experience. At the same time, we remain committed to ensuring our residents continue receiving the high-quality care they have come to expect from our facility.
Administrators at the rehab center denied 7News request to comment.
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