Owner of Washington County senior home guilty of deception, must shut down facility
PEKIN, Ind. (WISH) — The owner of a Washington County assisted living facility for seniors will spend time on probation after pleading guilty to deception.
Brad King was the president, CEO, and owner of Emma’s Place Assisted Living, which cared for roughly 6 to 10 residents, according to court documents.
King advertised Emma’s Place as a licensed facility and presented himself as professionally licensed caretaker. According to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, King also told families of the residents that he was properly trained to provide medical assistance to anyone under his care, when that was not the case.
Records from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency show King received a Licensed Practical Nurse’s license in 2013. It expired in 2016 and was not renewed. Emma’s Place was still providing medical care to residents in 2021, five years after King’s license expired and three years after the first complaint made against the facility.
The attorney general’s office says it received multiple complaints from families whose loved ones suffered from improper care.
“Among the complaints were stage 4 bed sores, resulting in an emergency room visit as well as blatant misrepresentation of the facility’s qualifications. Specifically, the facility claimed to be fully staffed with licensed nurses. When asked if the facility had licensed nurses and was capable of properly caring for elderly people with medical conditions, the president and CEO falsely represented their qualifications,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement Tuesday.
King was charged in Aug. 2021 with felony deception, misdemeanor deception, and practicing nursing without a license.
On Aug. 15, 2022, King pleaded guilty to felony deception. The other two charges against him were dismissed.
A judge sentenced him to a year-and-a-half of probation and 30 hours of community service.
The judge ordered King to permanently close Emma’s Place within six months and make arrangements for current residents
“The decision to move a family member into an assisted living facility is not easy,” Rokita said about the decision. “But when you make this decision, you expect to be able to trust the people who are taking care of them. Whether it’s intentional fraud or ambivalence, it is a major concern.”