Caregiver Letticia Martinez pleaded guilty to neglect resulting in the death of an 86-year-old resident at Cappella Assisted Living and Memory Care in Grand Junction, Colorado, and was sentenced to 3 years' probation, 100 hours of community service, and 30 days in jail.

Cappella Assisted Living (Grand Junction, CO) — Caregiver Pleads Guilty to Neglect Death (2022)

Outcome: Letticia Martinez, age 28, a caregiver at Cappella Assisted Living and Memory Care in Grand Junction, Colorado, pleaded guilty to neglect resulting in the death of an 86-year-old resident and was sentenced to 3 years' probation, 100 hours of community service, and 30 days in jail.

Cappella Assisted Living and Memory Care is a memory care and assisted living community in Grand Junction, Colorado. Caregiver Letticia Martinez neglected a resident — an 86-year-old individual — whose care was her responsibility. The neglect was of sufficient severity that it caused the resident's death, meeting the criminal threshold for neglect resulting in death under Colorado law.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced the sentencing on December 9, 2022. Assisted living and memory care facilities are required to ensure all residents receive adequate supervision and care, and to report suspected abuse and neglect to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment within 24 hours. Memory care residents are among the most vulnerable populations in residential care — with cognitive impairment making them unable to self-report neglect or seek help independently.

Primary Source: CO AG / OIG Enforcement Record