Nursing homes are increasingly housing mentally ill criminals, but sometimes their safety barriers are not sufficient in keeping these dangerous individuals from the elderly residents.

This was the case in that of a 22-year-old convicted felon with a history of violent crimes who pleaded guilty this morning to the rape of a 69-year-old woman in his Elgin nursing home. He will serve at least 12 years for his crime.

Nursing homes are more often housing younger, mentally ill felons without appropriate supervision or safety precautions. In this case, the 22-year-old man was housed on the second floor psychiatric wing of the nursing home, separated from the elder residents by only a few doors and a flight of stairs.

A State Department of Public Health investigation found that the nursing home administrators did not properly check the young man’s criminal background. In addition, the facility initially claimed that the young man and elderly woman had engaged in consensual sex in an attempt to cover up their negligence.

Nursing homes that do not adequately protect the safety of their residents should be held responsible in a court of law. If someone you love has been the victim of nursing home negligence or abuse, contact the New Jersey nursing home abuse attorneys of Levinson Axelrod at 800-346-5529 today to discuss your legal options.