Police: SW Idaho patient died as center staff skipped checks

Authorities say a 27-year-old man found dead at a southwest Idaho state-run treatment center for people with severe disabilities had not been checked on for hours and died when his body position prevented him from breathing.

Authorities in information obtained in recent days by several newspapers say Drew Rinehart died Aug. 20 of positional asphyxia at the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center in Nampa.

Authorities say video shows that none of the staff checked on Rinehart for about six hours despite center records indicating a staff member checked on him every 30 minutes.

The center’s records also say Rinehart received medication at 8 a.m., though authorities say he likely had been dead for several hours by then.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare says it can’t comment on the investigation.