RIDGEWAY, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) has issued an emergency license suspension for J C Laraes Southwinds Assisted Living Community in Ridgeway following a disturbing inspection that revealed residents were left locked inside buildings without staff supervision.
DPH officials say they arrived at the facility on Tuesday, July 15, and found five residents alone and locked in one building with no staff present. A second building on the property housed three additional residents, despite the facility being licensed for only one building and five residents.
“They are licensed for five residents; however, we did discover that she was providing care to three additional residents in the back house, which is not a licensed building,” said Jomonica Taylor, with the Department of Public Health…