Illinois fines La Salle County Nursing Home

OTTAWA -- LaSalle County Nursing Home has been hit with a $20,000 fine for violations stemming from the molestation of several female patients by a resident of the home.

Melaney Arnold of the Illinois Department of Public Health said LaSalle County officials have opted to appeal the fine, but no date for a hearing has been set.

The fine is the second levied against the facility after the Public Health Department discovered a male resident was targeting women, many of whom had dementia, to perform sexual acts on them. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services levied a $20,000 fine plus $100 per day the home is found to be out of compliance.

A Public Health Department investigation determined the nursing home failed to protect residents and failed to administer the facility to prevent repeated occurrences of sexual abuse.