GILLETTE, Wyo. — Days after an 88-year-old woman was found deceased outside the Legacy Living & Rehabilitation Center, Campbell County Health has announced three staff members have been suspended for their alleged involvement. 

The woman had been a resident of the Memory Care Wing of The Legacy’s Cottonwood unit. She was found by a staff member outside in the facility courtyard unresponsive, with an exact cause of death still to be determined through the active investigation, according to a Jan. 16 CCH statement. 

“We have been in direct contact with the resident’s family to inform them of the situation and to offer our deepest condolences for their loss,” CCH says. “We immediately initiated an internal investigation to understand the circumstances leading to this incident.”

According to the statement, The Legacy has taken proactive steps to enhance safety measures, including suspending three staff members who were directly involved in the incident while increasing personnel numbers to strengthen oversight and security. 

“We are committed to transparency and will share the results of the investigation once they are available,” CCH said in the statement. “We extend our heartfelt sorrow to the resident’s family, loved ones, and the entire community during this difficult time.”

Per CCH, The Legacy is determined to learn from the incident by addressing any contributing factors and taking every possible step to ensure such a situation does not occur again. 

In addition to the internal investigation, the Gillette Police Department has confirmed it is investigating the incident, though it has declined to release additional information at this time. 

Similarly, Campbell County Coroner Paul Wallem has confirmed the investigation into the woman’s death is underway, but has declined to offer additional comments.

Vigilant 23-2. Casper, Wyo. June 13, 2023

Gallery Credit: Tom Morton, Townsquare Media

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