At approximately 9:30 am on February 18, Cayce Police officers received a call from the person that was the sole staff member on-site at Twilite Manor, a housekeeper, that stated there was an unresponsive male at the facility. Upon arriving on the scene, here is what our officers found:
- A deceased male; whom has now been identified by Coroner Margaret Fisher as 69-year-old, Timothy Frank Catalano.
- Another elderly patient that had to be transported for immediate medical treatment.
- The remaining 13 patients at the facility had not eaten or received any of their medications since the night before. We became aware of several patients who needed specific assistance, as there were patients who were blind, suffered from mental illness, and or were completely unable to care for themselves even in the most basic ways, such as eating or using the bathroom unassisted.
- We found a facility with no medical staff on site that could handle a medical emergency if one occurred. And unfortunately, a medical emergency did occur.
As law enforcement officers, we are legally empowered to take custody of a person who is in imminent danger for their own protection. As law enforcement officers, we feel strongly that it is our duty to keep all citizens in our City safe.
Per Twilite Manor’s description of their services, they claim to be “committed to providing the highest level of quality care,” to have “highly trained professionals” and “around the clock on-site care available 24 hours a day” to assist with any needs that arise. That’s what the residents in their care should have been able to expect; but it is not what our officers observed on the morning of February 18 and was not the case for Mr. Catalano or for any of the residents of Twilite Manor.
Sadly, because we were there for the unfortunate death of a resident, and because we were not sure when the remaining residents would receive food, medications, medical attention, or the general assistance they needed and deserved, our officers felt grave concern for the remaining residents. We knew their well-being was in imminent danger. It was at that time that we contacted the state agency charged with regulated Assisted Living Facilities, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) as well as Department of Social Services (DSS) and family of the residents.
The residents of Twilite Manor are family members, grandparents, parents, neighbors, and friends. Our officers were saddened to see their living conditions and took action to get them the medical and other assistance they needed. We will continue to work with DHEC, DSS and each of their families to ensure that the proper care and attention is provided to each one of them.
At this time, we are thankful that all residents from Twilite Manor have been rehoused with members of their family or in an appropriate facility based on their needs and level of care.
