Louisiana investigating deaths of Ida nursing home evacuees

By MELINDA DESLATTE
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The owner of seven Louisiana nursing homes that were evacuated to a warehouse where four residents died after Hurricane Ida faced prior criticism after a prior evacuation-related death two decades ago. AARP Louisiana is calling for owner Bob Dean to have his nursing home licenses revoked. State health officials have launched an investigation into the deaths at a warehouse facility in Tangipahoa Parish where 843 residents from seven of Dean’s nursing facilities were sent before Ida roared ashore in southeast Louisiana. Attorney General Jeff Landry said Friday that his office also has started its own review of the evacuation decisions. Dean defended the Ida evacuation in an interview with WAFB-TV.