HARRISBURG, PA — A Lawrence County jury on Tuesday convicted a New Castle personal care administrator of felony neglect after prosecutors said her failure to renew a resident’s anti-seizure medication led to a fatal seizure in 2021, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced.
Kelly R. Gonzales, 50, of New Castle, was found guilty of neglect of a care-dependent person and endangering the welfare of a care-dependent person. Sentencing is scheduled for May 21.
According to evidence presented by the Office of Attorney General, Gonzales was the administrator at ARC, a personal care home in New Castle, and was responsible for overseeing residents’ care, including ensuring prescriptions were filled.
Prosecutors said Gonzales did not refill a resident’s anti-seizure medication or direct staff to do so after the prescription ran out. Testimony indicated that colleagues advised her to take the resident to an emergency room to obtain the medication, but she did not, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
The resident died at the facility on December 2, 2021, after going more than 10 days without the prescribed medication, prosecutors said.
Attorney General Sunday said the case highlights the responsibility of care providers to ensure vulnerable residents receive necessary medical treatment.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Christopher R. Sherwood and Deputy Attorney General Peter Caravello.
The conviction stems from a Lawrence County case involving a New Castle facility, bringing attention to oversight and accountability for personal care homes serving vulnerable residents in the county.
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