A South Bay family on Tuesday announced a lawsuit against a skilled nursing facility after their 98-year-old grandmother was allegedly killed by her roommate.
The family of Vera Plares, known as Grandma Vera, gathered outside the Mission Skilled Nursing and Subacute Center in Santa Clara to unveil their lawsuit.
"We trusted them to take care of my grandma, to keep her safe, and they failed miserably," Adam Plares, grandson of Vera Plares, said.
Court documents show Vera Plares died at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center two days after being beaten at the nursing home. The coroner determined the cause of death to be blunt force to the head.
"Me and my family are going to have gaping holes in our hearts for the rest of our lives," great-granddaughter Sierra Plares said. "Her pain is over, but ours is just beginning."
Court documents show police believe Connie Delucca, 79, beat Vera Plares with a cane.
The family wonders why both women were placed in the same room to begin with.
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"What was done here is absolutely disgusting and evil," Adam Plares said. "We demand accountability."
In a statement, Mission Skilled Nursing and Subacute Center said, "We are aware of the arrest of a former resident in relation to the December 2023 death of a fellow resident. We were deeply saddened by the loss of our resident last year and continue to share our heartfelt condolences with the resident's family. We are working with the deceased resident's family and applicable authorities to resolve this situation."
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In April 2023, a police report indicated officers responded to the same nursing home to investigate allegations that Delucca tried to strangle another roommate for allegedly making too much noise and not allowing her to sleep. The police report states Delucca told a worker, "I’m trying to kill her.'
The family is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
The district attorney is charging Delucca with murder. She is still in jail with no bail.
