Florida nursing home employees formally charged in patient deaths

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Prosecutors have formally charged four ex-employees of a Florida nursing home where a power outage after a hurricane led to 12 patients’ deaths.

The Broward County State Attorney’s Office filed a criminal information document Monday listing nine counts of aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person against administrator Jorge Carballo and nursing supervisor Sergo Colin.

Nurse Althia Meggie faces two counts of aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person and two counts of tampering with evidence. Nurse Tamika Miller faces six counts of aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person and two counts of tampering with evidence.

They were arrested last month.

Residents at the now-shuttered Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills died amid sweltering heat after Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Defense attorneys say their clients are being unfairly blamed for failures of others.