judicial

Death prompts investigation

Authorities say an elderly woman was left without sufficient food or proper care.

Sandra Alicia Rivera/la prensa

uncared for: Prosecutors say charges are likely in the death of an elderly woman who lived for three years in a home in Chiriquí.1118397

Charges will likely be filed in the death of Leila Bianco, who died shortly after leaving a home for the elderly in Chiriquí.

Prosecutor José Henríquez said that he is awaiting the completion of the autopsy report. If the report proves that a crime was committed against the deceased, charges will then be filed.

Bianco was being housed at Home & Care, a facility in the David community of El Terronal, which is located on the road to Boquete. Yesterday the doors of the home were closed with a padlock and no one responded to calls placed by La Prensa.

Relatives of Bianco reported that monthly checks for payment of care were issued to Villa Esperanza, SA. According to the Public Registry, company records list Dalisla Ruth de Sánchez as president, Rita Kadoch Polo as treasurer and Alfredo Sánchez as secretary.

According to a death certificate issued by Hospital Rafael Hernández de Chiriquí, Bianco died from pneumonia and infected ulcers, as well as malnutrition and anemia.

Henríquez said that the mere fact that the facility did not provide a proper level of care to residents is enough to justify filing charges.

He indicated that the investigation will focus on how long Bianco suffered from her various ailments.

He also plans to interview the owners and operators of the facility, as well as examine records with the Ministry of Health, and interview officials there to see if it was monitored.

“This case is very delicate,” Henríquez said. “We have to see the different degrees of participation in the events which had to do with the handling of Bianco.”

Yesterday morning, family members held funeral services for Bianco, who was 75 years old and had lived at the Home & Care facility for three years.