More Staffers Linked to Abuse Investigation Terminated at Whiting

More staffers at the state’s maximum-security mental hospital linked with an abuse investigation have been terminated.

Three staffers at the Whiting Forensic Division in Middletown were let go on Dec. 4, the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters learned. The three were terminated for reasons including physical abuse, sleeping on duty and failing to report work rule violations.

In all, 37 staffers at Whiting were put on administrative leave since the case was first reported by NBC Connecticut in April. Of those 37 workers put on leave, five were terminated and another five either resigned or retired.

The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), the agency in charge of Whiting, told the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters the three men who lost their jobs on Monday include a forensic nurse and a pair of mental health workers.

A state police investigation, which remains open, revealed the 59-year-old male patient allegedly suffered abuse over a one month period. The findings were based in part on video surveillance from the patient’s room.

The alleged abuse included taunting, kicking, and even putting a soiled diaper on the patient’s head.

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