Carers left disabled man in bath for 36 hours as ‘punishment’ ... while they watched TV
Police probe under way as furious family demands answers
A POLICE investigation is under way after carers left a vulnerable man in a bath for up to 36 hours – while they allegedly ate dinner and watched TV downstairs.
Despite repeated cries for help, 54-year-old Andrew McKinnell – who suffers seizures and has the mental capacity of a six-year-old – is understood to have been deprived of food and water as he sat shivering and immobilised by pain and bruising after falling.
His ordeal at his home in Glasgow’s Carntyne only came to an end when he was rescued from the bath, soaking and distressed, by an ambulance crew.
Two male carers – part of a team paid by taxpayers to fund Mr McKinnell’s round-the-clock care – have now been suspended pending investigation.
Yesterday, Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council confirmed they were conducting inquiries into Mr McKinnell’s treatment by the
‘We are heartbroken by what happened to him’
two men, both employed by care provider Inclusion.
The Care Inspectorate, which reported the matter to police, has described it as a ‘shocking and distressing case’.
Mr McKinnell’s family are outraged by the treatment he received and have called for those responsible for his care to face serious repercussions. His brother Christopher, 51, said: ‘Andrew thinks everyone’s his friend and is not able to explain his emotions as well as someone else his age because he thinks like a child.
‘We are heartbroken by what has happened to him and feel let down by the system put in place for his care. This is pure neglect.
Mr McKinnell added: ‘Andrew doesn’t realise how long he was in the bath because time means nothing to him. From what he’s been able to tell us, he slipped and fell.
‘He is looked after 24/7 by live-in carers – two for each shift – and it seems, when he first fell, they tried to get him out by pulling at his leg, but he was in a lot of pain. Why no attempt was made to call an ambulance at that point, I’ve no idea, but they apparently left him and went downstairs to eat their dinner and watch TV.
‘It was later the next day – after he’d spent all night and most of the day in the bath – before anyone decided to call for medical help.
‘It’s not as if you can just “forget” about someone for that length of time when you’re paid to look after them, so we can only imagine this was deliberate cruelty or some sort of sick punishment exercise.
‘Either way, we’re glad the police are involved.
Mr McKinnell said no one has the right to treat someone in their care in such a manner. He added: ‘It’s unforgivable and the whole family are devastated by the thought Andrew was left there, alone and scared, while we were kept in the dark about how he was being treated.
‘Our parents are dead and before my mum died, she asked my brother and I to look after him. She really fretted about him being cared for properly without her around to protect him.
‘We’re a close family and always on hand if he needs us. In fact, Andrew normally calls me about six times a day. But I was only called about this when it was all over and he was in hospital. I was shocked when I saw him. He had bruises all over his back and his elbows were badly cut.’
Mr McKinnell has now recovered but is still in Glasgow Royal Infirmary as he cannot return home.
His brother said: ‘He normally spends Christmas Day with us but this year he will be in hospital and we’ll visit him there instead.
‘His house has been judged not fit for purpose and a new home will have to be found for him. It was suggested he be put into an old folk’s home but we refused because he is too young.
‘He spent years in hospital care from the age of 12 because of his seizures and balance problems, so this is a tragedy for Andrew because we have fought hard to give him his independence.’
A spokesman for the Care Inspectorate said: ‘This was a shocking and distressing case and our thoughts are with the individual affected. No one should experience what appears to have been an unacceptable quality of care.
‘We referred it to Police Scotland, with whom we continue to work closely. We are urgently following this up with the care provider.’
A spokesman for Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership said: ‘These are serious allegations and we are conducting our own investigations. However, a police inquiry is currently under way and we do not consider it appropriate to comment any further at this time.’
Inclusion declined to comment.