A nurse at a Warrensville Heights care facility is facing serious charges in the death of an elderly resident, prosecutors say. Amber Henderson, 32, was indicted by a Cuyahoga County grand jury for events that led to the death of 84-year-old Alvera Meuti at the Avenue at Warrensville Care and Rehabilitation Center in December 2024. The charges include involuntary manslaughter, tampering with records, and patient neglect, as announced in a press release from the office of Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O'Malley.
The indictment stems from a fateful shift beginning on the evening of December 23, 2024. Taking over from the previous nurse around 9:15 p.m., Henderson was responsible for Meuti, who was last checked on roughly 35 minutes before Henderson's shift commenced. At 9:30 p.m., Henderson reportedly went to check on Meuti and, finding her room empty, assumed she had left with family members. After a call went unanswered late into the night, the family remained oblivious to Meuti's absence until the following morning when the facility issued a "Code Purple."
The Warrensville Heights Police Department, responding to the call from the center, aided in the subsequent search. Early on December 24, nurses discovered Meuti outdoors on the patio, lying on her back. Warrensville Heights EMS rushed to the scene and transported her to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner determined that Meuti succumbed to environmental exposure, specifically hypothermia.
Investigations revealed lapses in protocols and duties on Henderson's part. Each nurse at the center undergoes four weeks of training, including protocols on missing residents and mandatory two-hour checks, which Henderson falsely documented having completed. Henderson did not report an unlocked door near Meuti's room leading to the staircase and ultimately to the patio where Meuti was found. Security measures dictate that the door is to be kept locked; it was here where Meuti, unable to re-enter on her own, met her tragic fate in the freezing conditions.
Henderson was arrested on January 16,. Her indictment followed, and her arraignment is set to occur later in the Cuyahoga County Justice Center. Details regarding her trial are pending.
