Special Report

Patient abuse at mental facility continues
Metropolitan State Hospital shows little improvement despite federal investigators' criticism

By Nazanin Boniadi
Online Journal Contributing Writer

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July 11, 2005—Investigators from the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice found serious problems with the care of children and adults labeled as mentally ill at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk, California, in 2002.

The reports, which were published in 2003 and 2004 respectively, indicated that Metropolitan "lowered the overall quality of life" of its patients by "prolonging their psychiatric distress" and needlessly "exacerbating their disabilities."

Metropolitan houses about 700 adult patients, most of whom have been sent to the institution due to either criminal offenses or civil commitment against their will, plus about 100 children and adolescents for whom foster homes could not be found.

The facility, which is surrounded by barbed wire and high chain-link fences, seems more like a prison than a hospital.

The investigation found that improper medication and overmedication often exposed patients to "harmful side effects, and harmful drug-to-drug interactions." One patient with a 30-year history of persistent alcoholism was prescribed Lorazepam, a habit-forming drug that is detrimental for severe alcoholics.

Similarly, numerous patients suffering from memory loss were regularly given medications known to carry the side effect of cognitive decline.

Metropolitan was found to provide an inhumane and unsafe environment to its patients, often using seclusion and restraints as punishment. One patient was permanently bed-bound after fracturing his femur while at Metropolitan. Consequently, he experienced multiple pressure sores, with soft tissue exposed to the bone.

Another patient inserted a metal object in her abdomen, which was never removed, causing an abscess and severe pain.

Unfortunately, Metropolitan has failed to identify or remedy these problems since the last report was published. Furthermore, recent allegations of manslaughter, and sexual and physical abuse have raised serious questions about the legality of this institution.

According to Ina Kabey, mother of 47-year-old Metropolitan patient Karen Kabey, her daughter fears for her life every time she enters the lunchroom. "Karen is surrounded by violent and screaming patients," Ina says.

Karen has been at Metropolitan for 20 months. During this time she has suffered from persistent diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and severe chest pains, which have gone largely ignored and untreated. Dr. Lisa Bennest, who visited Metropolitan in January 2005, noted that Karen was suffering from severe weight loss and overmedication. Karen has also been denied access to her own medical records and has sustained numerous head injuries.

Karen, who was reportedly attacked by Metropolitan staff in February 2005, claims that her head was repeatedly slammed on the concrete floor. The staff member in question denies this, insisting that Karen's injuries were self-inflicted. The incident was reported to the hospital police. Despite evidence of abuse, no investigation of personnel or patients has yet occurred.

Ina, who visited her daughter the day after the injuries, said that her daughter had two black eyes, one of which was swollen shut, and one bruised and swollen cheek. She maintains, "There is no way Karen could have done this to herself."

"There is no doubt that Karen's mental and physical health has deteriorated since she was admitted to Metropolitan," Ina asserts.

According to attorney and patients' rights advocate Jeff Lustman, "Metropolitan charges the State over $100,000 per year for each patient, so doctors making recommendations on continued incarceration of patients have a built in conflict of interest."

Karen calls her mother regularly to tell her how intolerable the hospital is, often begging to come home, but Ina describes the mental health system as a trap, stating that "Once you are caught in the system, there's no getting out."

Indeed, a number of patients face an untimely death while incarcerated. In July 2004, one diabetic patient was reportedly underfed and threw a plastic chair against the wall to get the staff's attention. A "take down" was then ordered, whereby three to four orderlies allegedly tackled the patient to the ground, sat on him and put him in restraints. The patient's heart subsequently stopped beating and he died. An investigation of this incident was conducted by hospital police, and despite indications of manslaughter the case never made it to the district attorney's office.

Several allegations of sexual abuse have also surfaced. A female patient was sexually assaulted by a male patient in February 2004 during a trip to the mall. The same patient also reported being inappropriately fondled by a visiting minister.

These recent reports indicate that not much has changed despite the severity of the physical and psychological abuses documented in the government findings over two years ago.

Metropolitan officials did not return phone calls seeking information on these allegations.