BEACHWOOD, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Health’s investigation into COVID-19 protocols at the Montefiore nursing home in Menorah Park found that three staff members conspired to present false samples of COVID-19 evidence to ensure that tests would turn negative, even though residents exhibited coronavirus symptoms and potentially expose other residents and staff members.
Research on nursing home was brought to light initially by Cleveland Jewish News.
Kayla Leubitz’s mother, Ronna Leubitz, had been living in Montefiore for ten years. He moved to the nursing home at age 50 due to multiple sclerosis and other health problems.
“He was a very good person and had a big heart,” Leubitz said.
Leubitz said that when he suffered the pandemic, due to his mother’s health problems, they were both worried but did not panic. They relied on the care their mother received at Menorah Park during the ten years she had been there.
“I never had any other reason to doubt what they were doing,” he said. “There was never any reason to worry about where he lived and the environment where he lived.”
State Department of Health investigation revealed that residents of Montefiore’s Mandel 3 unit began showing symptoms of COVID-19 in mid-October. But the Oct. 13 test of 34 residents yielded 33 negative results. Menorah Park’s internal investigation and state investigation showed that the employees falsified these tests, leading to the dismissal of the Montefiore administrator, director of nursing and deputy director of nursing.
Leubitz said his mother received multiple negative COVID-19 test results during the pandemic, and while he said his mother was not a resident of Mandel 3, his mother reported that his last test was it felt a little different, a test he received only after the news of the fake evidence came to light.
“My mother mentioned it and took a step back and said ‘maybe they weren’t testing me properly,'” Leubitz said. “I don’t think they’re doing the tests properly. I don’t think they’re blowing their noses as much as they should.”
On Thursday, November 5, this last test turned positive and Leubitz received the news that his mother was moving to the COVID-19 wing of the residence. The next day she was taken to hospital.
“The next thing I know, on Friday, I received a phone call from the nursing home that the doctor looked at her and thought she needed to go to the hospital and that there was nothing else they could do at the nursing right now. . “she said.
Things went from bad to worse and fast. On Saturday, November 7, the doctor told Kayla that her mother would not get it.
“All his vital organs had just closed. I had to make the tough decision that no child ever wants to make for their parents, okay, pull it off, ”he said.
It was too fast for Leubitz to even say goodbye to his mother, who was 61 years old.
“I couldn’t be there. I couldn’t go to the nursing home. I couldn’t go to the hospital to be with her and I was alone and I think that’s the hardest thing for me, as her son, is that she was alone. “
Now he wants answers. The first question you have is how long did your mother have COVID-19?
“After all these months of alleged negative testing and suddenly it tested positive and then left in 48-72 hours,” he explained. “Something in my gut tells me maybe he’s had it for longer.”
He also wants to know how his mother got it if everyone who was positive was isolated.
“If it was due to negligence, whether it was for not following protocol or for falsifying evidence, whatever the case, however, my mother got it, I just want someone to answer for it.”
The state has imposed a correction plan for Montefiore, which includes continuing education and the new COVID-19 protocol. But for Leubitz, it’s too little, too late.
“He didn’t deserve that and he wasn’t supposed to happen like that,” he said. “I miss her. I’ll always miss her.”
News 5 contacted Menorah Park to comment and received the following statement:
Menorah Park is deeply interested in the outcome of the state investigation into the evidence problem we discovered in October and reported to authorities. We now cooperate in investigations arising from our self-reports. For this reason, we are unable to provide any comments at this time. When matters are finalized and made public, we will be happy to give our response at this time.