Richard Morlock was killed by an oncoming locomotive when he sat down on a train track in September, and now his son is suing that nursing home.
Keith Morlock claims that Greystone Healthcare Management could have done more to protect his father, according to a recently filed lawsuit.
Problems started for then-76-year-old Richard Morlock on August 23, when he fell off his bicycle and hit his head. Until then, he had been "living independently in a trailer park," Broward County Civil Court Records indicate.
Because "he offered very little history, appeared confused, and did not respond appropriately to questions," a psychiatrist at Hollywood's Memorial Hospital diagnosed him with dementia. Morlock was transferred to the nursing home shortly thereafter.
About a month later, an attendant noticed that Morlock wasn't in bed around 7 p.m.
Another on-call attendant said that Morlock's absence wasn't cause for concern, according to court documents, and said that "he was on the patio."
As 10 p.m. neared, however, attendants became worried that he still wasn't in his room. But Morlock wasn't reported missing -- and the cops weren't called -- until nearly 11 p.m.
The Wilton Manors Police Department began looking for Richard Morlock around 11:50 but couldn't save him.
"Despite warning from an oncoming train, he was struck and killed on the train tracks."
Keith Morlock says the nursing home could have done more to protect him.
A jury trial is planned.
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