Overview
- Police identified the resident as Margaret Healey, 93, and said staff noticed her missing at 4:45 a.m., called police at 6:23 a.m., and EMTs pronounced her dead at 6:46 a.m.
- Detectives are examining whether an exit-alert device malfunctioned or went unheard, while collecting video, system records, and staff statements in a fact-finding phase.
- Investigators are evaluating potential contributions from extreme cold exposure, and police are verifying staff reports that Healey had a low pulse and warming efforts were begun.
- The Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner lists both cause and manner of death as pending, and the Connecticut Department of Public Health is engaged in the inquiry.
- Records show Bickford Health Care Center holds a one-star CMS rating and was fined by CMS and state regulators in 2024–2025, prompting lawmakers to call for thorough reviews.