Emails reveal situation inside Riverbend's KCK facility

E-mails reveal situation inside Riverbend facility in KCK, where 28 people have died from COVID-19.

DEVELOPING NOW:FOUR NEW LAWSUITSHAVE BEEN FILED AGAINSTA K-C-K NURSING HOMEWHERE 28 RESIDENTSHAVE DIED FROM COVID-19.THE LAWSUITS CLAIMRIVERBEND POST ACUTEREHABILITATION DID NOTFOLLOW GUIDELINES PUTIN PLACE BY MEDICAID ANDMEDICARE SERVICES --ASKING NURSINGFACILITIES TO SCREENSTAFF MEMBERS FORSIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OFCOVID-19.THIS FOLLOWS ANOTHERLAWSUIT FILEDYESTERDAY.RIVERBEND PREVIOUSLYSAID IT BELIEVES THEOUTBREAK STARTEDAFTER A SICK EMPLOYEEREPORTED TO WORK INMARCH.SINCE THEN, 128RESIDENTS AND STAFFMEMBERS HAVE TESTEDPOSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS.OF THOSE CASES -- 28RESIDENTS LIVING THEREHAVE DIED.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER SARAH PLAKETALKED TO ONE WOMANWHO LOST HERGRANDMOTHER TO THEVIRUS -- ON THEIRFRUSTRATIONS.The number of positive casesand deaths continue to cliat Riverbend.

The desperatesituation is not only evident inthe emails we obtained, butalso the situation families arein.It's definitely been difficultandI can't express this enoughhow hard it is to deal with aloved one who is sick,Cherry Boyd's family ismourning the death of her 89year old grandmother GeorgiaMae Clardy.Clardy was living at Riverbendnursing home in KCK andrecently came down withCOVID-19.

She passed abouta week and a half later at thehospital.With the whole coronavirusspreading it's been difficulttrying to bury a family memberbecause we're not able tohave a traditional celebrationor family gathering or funeraleven for that matter.Before COVID-19, Riverbendhad 135 residents, and thevirus spread rapidly.As of Friday, 103 residentsand 25 staffers were positive..28 residents have died and 6are in the hospital.According to emails obtainedby 41 Action News, the facilityreported its first positive caseon April 1..

And the firstresident died on April 7.As the days passed, theemails show the situationbecame more dire - Riverbendinforming the UnifiedGovernment that the facility isextremely short staffed, thatentire crews quit..

The UnifiedGovernment requestingemergency help..From my understanding theydidn't communicate as well asthey could have as far as thecases they did have and howthey were protecting thepatients..We'll say ifthey are reporting thatinformation to the county, andthe county is working withthem to create a strategythat's specific to eachfacility,in order to provide supplies,provide support, and really doeverything that they can do tohelp mitigate the threat,41 Action News askedRiverbend how they arecontaining the virus and if theyhave enough staff to care forthe residents -- but executivesdenied our requests due topending lawsuits.Sarah Plak