Riverbend resident died 2 days after being released from facility

"Ridiculous, absurd and totally irresponsible" is how a Kansas City-area man characterized Riverbend Post-Acute Rehabilitation Center's decision to release his father from its facility two days before he died from COVID-19 complications.

15 PEOPLE -- CONNECTEDTO THIS K-C-K NURSINGHOME -- HAVE DIED FROMTHE VIRUS."RIVERBEND POST-ACUTEREHABILITATION" SAYS 92RESIDENTS HAVE TESTEDPOSITIVE -- ALONG WITH 24STAFF."RIDICULOUS, ABSURD ANDTOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE."THAT'S HOW A METRO MANCHARACTERIZES THENURSING HOME'S RELEASEOF HIS FATHER JUST TWODAYS BEFORE HIS DEATHFROM COVID-19.AS 41 ACTION NEWSINVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK REPORTS, NOWTHAT MAN AND HIS WIFEALSO HAVE THE VIRUS.THE RIVERBEND REHABCENTER IN KCK HAS BEENONE OF THE WORST HOTSPOTS FOR COVID-19.88-YEAR-OLD CARLBREWSTER WAS A PATIENTTHERE ... doing physicaltherapy TO GET ENOUGHSTRENGTH TO USE HISWHEELCHAIR.ACCORDING TO HIS SONSTEVE, CARL, A KOREANWAR VETERAN, WASSUPPOSED TO BERELEASED WEDNESDAYAPRIL 8TH.INSTEAD, STEVE SAYS HERECEIVED A CALL ONFRIDAY APRIL 3RD FROMHIS DAD SAYING HE WASBEING RELEASED."IT'S JUST TOTALLYIRRESPONSIBLE.

I MEANTHEY LET HIM COME HOMEWITH A CHRONIC COUAND ESSENTIALLY HE DIED48 HOURS LATER."ON THE DAY OF HISRELEASE, STEVE SAID HISFATHER WAITED ALONE INA HALLWAY FOR 5 HOURSBEFORE CARL CALLEDSTEVE TO PICK HIM UP.STEVE SAID RIVERBENDNEVER CALLED AND DIDN'TTEST HIS DAD FOR COVID-19, DESPITE AN OUTBREAKAT THE FACILITY."I THINK THEY SHOULDHAVE TESTED EVERYPATIENT AND ABSOLUTELYTESTED ANYONE THEYWERE GOING TO TURNBACK HOME."ONLY AFTER CARL DIED ONSUNDAY APRIL 5TH ANDAFTER A PUBLISHEDREPORT ABOUT IT, STEVESAID RIVERBEND HAD ACONFERENCE CALL WITHHIM WHICH INCLUDEDDIRECTOR CORY SCHULTEAND others from the facility.STEVE SAYS THEY ALLCHIMED IN AND SAID CARLDIDN'T HAVE ANYSYMPTOMS WHEN THEYSENT HIM HOME.BUT steve insists CARLwouldn't stop coughing THEWHOLE RIDE HOME FROMRIVERBEND AND THE TWOREMAINING DAYS OF HISLIFE."TO ME IT WAS ABSURDWHAT THEY WERE SAYINGKNOWING WHAT HE WASLIKE WHEN I PICKED HIMUP.""DO YOU THINK THEY'RETRYING TO PROTECTTHEMSELVES FROM ALAWSUIT?WELL, I NEVERTHREATENED ANY KIND OFLAWSUIT.

I HAVEN'TTALKED TO ANY LEGALPEOPLE OR ANYTHING,BUT THAT'S WHAT ITSEEMED LIKE."IN AN EMAIL RESPONSE,RIVERBEND DIRECTORCORY SCHULTE WROTE INPART, "WE DO NOT THINKTHE MEDIA IS THE MOSTAPPROPRIATE FORUM FORADDRESSING ISSUES THATMAY EXIST BETWEEN THEFAMILY OF A RESIDENT ANDTHE FACILITY.""THEY NEVER ADMITANYTHING THAT THEY DIDWRONG."NOW BOTH STEVE AND HISWIFE JANIS HAVE TESTEDPOSITIVE FOR COVID 19.BOTH OF THEM ARE 68YEARS OLD ANDDIABETICS.STEVE SAYS JANICE HASALREADY BEENHOSPITALIZED TWICESINCE SUNDAY AND HE HASA LOW GRADE FEVER ANDLOW ENERGY.THAT'S A PRETTY TOUGHPILL TO SWALLOW ISN'T IT?YES IT IS."STEVE is hoping HE ANDJANIS CAN GET BETTER,sothey can visit with theirCHILDREN ANDgrandchildren next month.I'M INVESTIGATOR ANDYALCOCK 41 ACTION NEWS.RIVERBEND SAYS ITCONTINUES TO REPORTITS COVID-19 RELATEDINFORMATION TOWYANDOTTE COUNTYHEALTH OFFICIALS.MEANWHILE - STEVE HASONE PIECE OF ADVICE FORTHE COMMUNITY: IF YOUHAVE FAMILY OR FRIENDSIN A NURSING HOME, MAKESURE THEY GET TESTEDFOR TH