OTTAWA — Three women facing multiple charges related to the death of a
patient at Hilty Memorial Home last January were arraigned in Putnam
County Common Pleas Court last week.
On Jan. 7, Phyllis Campbell, a
resident in memory care at the Pandora facility, was found dead in the
home’s courtyard shortly after 8:30 a.m. A subsequent investigation by
the Pandora Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and
Putnam County Coroner Dr. Anne Horstman determined Campbell died of
hypothermia some time between 1 and 2 a.m.
According to a report
issued by the Ohio Department of Health, Campbell passed through a
propped-open door in the facility’s dining room some time after 12:35
a.m. and left the building through an exit leading into the courtyard.
While that door was alarmed and Campbell wore a wander guard unit, the
proximity of which triggers the alarm, the audible alert shut off after
90 seconds and was either never heard, or the system failed to function
adequately. Officials testing similar wander guards at the facility
discovered they did not always trigger the alarm.
The report
additionally noted Campbell exited the building at approximately 12:35
a.m. Campbell’s body wasn’t discovered until roughly eight hours later,
this despite bed checks at 2 and 4 a.m. documenting Campbell’s presence
inside the facility. It wasn’t until approximately 8:20 a.m. that an
aide discovered Campbell’s absence.
On Thursday, May 3, a Putnam
County grand jury indicted Destini M. Fenbert, 20, and Rachel R.
Friesel, 36, both employed as state tested nurses aides and both of
Pandora, were each indicted on four counts, including two felony
charges: involuntary manslaughter, a felony of the third degree; and
forgery, a fifth-degree felony. Fenbert and Friesel were also charged
with gross patient neglect, a first-degree misdemeanor; and patient
neglect, a misdemeanor of the second degree. The grand jury also charged
Megan E. Schnipke, 31, of Columbus Grove, who was employed as a
licensed practical nurse at Hilty Home at the time of the incident. The
three charges against Schnipke include forgery, a felony of the fifth
degree; gross patient neglect, a first-degree misdemeanor; and patient
neglect, a misdemeanor of the second degree.
On Monday, May 14,
Schnipke, through her attorney Robert Grzybowski, entered a plea of not
guilty to all charges. On Wednesday, May 16, Fenbert and Friesel
followed suit, entering not guilty pleas to all charges through their
attorneys, Drew Mihalik and Gary Smith, respectively.
After
consulting with the defense attorneys and Putnam County Prosecuting
Attorney Gary Lammers, Common Pleas Court Judge Keith Schierloh approved
own recognizance bonds for all three, stipulating that none were to
have any contact with the family of the victim or with Hilty Memorial
Home personnel. All three were further ordered to appear at the Putnam
County Sheriff’s Office for fingerprinting.
Pretrials for all three defendants were set for Wednesday, June 6.