MARICOPA COUNTY, Ariz. (KPHO/Gray News) — An Arizona woman says she recently made a grim discovery at an independent living facility.
According to Angela Boorn, she went to visit her uncle at LifeStream at Sun City last Thursday but found him unresponsive, sitting in his chair.
Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies said he was likely dead for three to four days.
“Boorn said she is still in shock and feels guilty for trusting the care facility’s staff.”
She said her uncle, Gerald McClellan, was like a second father to her, and she couldn’t believe she was the one to find him, days after he died.
“It looked like a skeleton in a chair. The face, the eyes were hollowed out,” Boorn said.
Boorn said her 75-year-old uncle had moved into a studio apartment inside the independent living facility in January after his wife died.
“I promised my aunt that I would take care of him when she passed away,” Boorn said.
According to Boorn, she felt comfortable with his new setup and the nearly $1,700 rent because she said a safety system was in place.
Boorn was told all residents had to push a button every morning to signal to staff they were OK.
“Every day by 10 a.m., or a staffing member was supposed to reach out to him or come check on him,” Boorn said.
But, apparently, that didn’t happen when it mattered most …
