The county executive did not want to answer our questions about it.
We wanted to know why would Rockland County place a claim against the estate of Sister Mary? Chances are had she not come to the county nursing home to live, she woud be alive today.
She was crushed to death by a newly-installed closet that the home had failed to secure to the wall.
Our investigation brought to light documents showing that prior to her death two other people had also been injured by falling closets.
Now, Rockland County has sent Sister Mary's family a claim against her estate for medical care for more than $200-thousand dollars.
"The reckless thing of not securing those closets and she had a horrible death, terrible death. Now on top of that, they are sending basically a bill for their care, for her care. It is just mind boggling," Daniel Murray said.
The state hit the nursing home with a record fine of 29-thousand dollars in the case. The head of the home was forced to resign and the entire fiasco is now being investigated by the attorney general.
Our requests for an interview with the county executive were denied, but we thought the family deserved to hear from Rockland's top elected official.
"I have nothing to say about it. It's a court case," C. Scott Vanderhoef said. "It's a tragic accident okay, but I understand we follow the law."
"They're still grieving over this loss and then they get hit up with a claim for over $200-thousand against the estate. I think under these circumstances it's just extremely poor judgment," family attorney Kenneth Pryor said.
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