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Scald death care home sentenced | Scald death care home sentenced |
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A care home has been fined £100,000 after a disabled woman was scalded in a bath and died from her injuries. | A care home has been fined £100,000 after a disabled woman was scalded in a bath and died from her injuries. |
Yelena Hasselberg-Langley, who needed 24-hour care, suffered 20% burns when she was put into the bath at Lifeways Community Care Home in Oxford in 2007. | Yelena Hasselberg-Langley, who needed 24-hour care, suffered 20% burns when she was put into the bath at Lifeways Community Care Home in Oxford in 2007. |
The 18-year-old, who had cerebral palsy and epilepsy, died of multiple organ failure in hospital four days later. An inquest recorded a narrative verdict. | The 18-year-old, who had cerebral palsy and epilepsy, died of multiple organ failure in hospital four days later. An inquest recorded a narrative verdict. |
Lifeways Community Care admitted health and safety breaches last year. | Lifeways Community Care admitted health and safety breaches last year. |
The firm was also ordered to pay £45,000 costs. | The firm was also ordered to pay £45,000 costs. |
'Excruciating agony' | |
Judge Patrick Eccles QC, said: "The case evokes a great deal of pity for her suffering and a sense of outrage that her ensuing scalding injury and death could have been easily avoided. | Judge Patrick Eccles QC, said: "The case evokes a great deal of pity for her suffering and a sense of outrage that her ensuing scalding injury and death could have been easily avoided. |
"She was blind, paraplegic, epileptic and severely disabled. | "She was blind, paraplegic, epileptic and severely disabled. |
"She had some power of speech but could not clearly communicate her distress when placed in the bath and she would have suffered excruciating agony before being taken to hospital." | "She had some power of speech but could not clearly communicate her distress when placed in the bath and she would have suffered excruciating agony before being taken to hospital." |
During an inquest at Oxford Coroner's Court into Ms Hasselberg-Langley's death, two carers told how they were not trained in how to use the bath and thought its temperature was controlled by a thermostat. | |
One of the women, Anna Majchrowska, told the jury she tested the water before Ms Hasselberg-Langley was lowered into it and had been happy it was at the right temperature. |