Death of assisted living resident ruled a homicide

SOUTH HOLLAND, Ill. (AP) - Authorities have launched an investigation into the death earlier this year of a suburban Chicago assisted living resident that was ruled a homicide.

The Cook County medical examiner's office determined Dorothy Byrd, 98, died a day after six residents of Holland Home were hospitalized Feb. 3 for unknown causes. Two other residents among those hospitalized died earlier this month.

Byrd's death was caused by morphine and hydrocodone toxicity, combined with hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to medical examiner's spokesman Frank Shuftan.

Investigators learned about a week ago that Robert Rundin, 88, died March 7 at a hospital in Munster, Indiana, and Leon Krynicki, 98, died March 9 at Providence Hospice in South Holland, said South Holland Police Lt. Shawn Staples. He added further tests are needed to determine the cause of their deaths. The condition of the three other hospitalized residents wasn't immediately available.

Sandra Peterson, Byrd's daughter, contends her mother was betrayed by a nurse.

"I sent my mother to Holland Home to be cared for, to provide the care that we could no longer provide," she said. "I didn't send her there to be murdered."

Peterson said her mother, a former nurse, had dementia, but her mind and memory were clear occasionally, adding she was generally able-bodied for a woman of her age.

"We're continuing to cooperate closely with local law enforcement's ongoing investigation and are referring all questions to them until that's concluded," David Mills, chief operating officer of Villa Healthcare, which manages Holland Home, said in a statement. "Our own internal investigation is also ongoing, consistent with our commitment to provide quality resident care."

Byrd was a founder of the Licensed Practical Nurses Association of Georgia. She moved to the Chicago area in 2006, Peterson said.