Attorney General Jason Miyares announced charges against 18 individuals in connection with an ongoing investigation into elder abuse and neglect at the Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Colonial Heights, Virginia. On October 5th, 2024, the Colonial Heights Police Department received a complaint of possible elder abuse and neglect from the Virginia Department of Adult Protective Services involving a recently discharged patient from the Colonial Heights Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Colonial Heights Detectives began investigating this facility after a patient died. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia was contacted and is conducting an abuse and neglect investigation related to the death. Investigators from the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Colonial Heights Police Department, and the Virginia Department of Health opened an investigation into the death.
On December 18th, 2024, investigators from all three agencies, along with representatives from the Colonial Heights Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, arrested five individuals and issued warrants for 13 others. Charges include seven counts of felony abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult, two counts of misdemeanor abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult, two counts of obstruction, and 27 counts of falsifying patient records.