Family sues South Bay nursing home after 98-year-old beaten to death
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Relatives of a 98-year-old woman beaten to death by her roommate at a South Bay skilled nursing facility have filed a lawsuit, seeking to raise awareness on elder abuse.
"What happened here is disgusting and it’s cruel. And there’s never gonna be any words to bring my family peace," said Sierra Plares, the great-granddaughter of Vera Plares.
Sierra Plares and over a dozen others stood in Santa Clara's sweltering heat on Tuesday to rally and express their collective heartbreak and disgust over the death of Vera Plares.
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They remembered her as a strong woman who survived laboring in New Mexico's fields to then move to California and care for her family, only to meet a violent end at the Mission Skilled Nursing & Sub-Acute care facility located at 400 North Winchester Blvd.
"If it happens at a nice high-end care facility, like Mission Skilled, what’s it like at less expensive facilities?" questioned attorney Paul Goyette, representing the victim’s family in the wrongful death lawsuit.
Attorneys said that on Dec. 13, 2023, Plares was beaten to death by Connie Jo Delucca, her roommate at the facility.
"Seeing her beaten and bruised is something that I’ll absolutely never forget," said Adam Plares, Plares' grandson. "They left her here in bed in pain overnight without transferring her to the emergency room."
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office has charged Delucca with elder abuse and assault with a deadly weapon in the death, but homicide charges have not been filed.
Investigators said that the 79-year-old Delucca used her 32-inch cane in the fatal beating.
"She had a history of violence. A documented history of violence. She strangled another patient here at Mission Skilled, and still, they placed her with Vere Plares," said Victoria Gutierrez, another attorney involved in the lawsuit.
Family members, their lawyers, and relatives of other patients have accused Mission Skilled of concealing the incident and withholding information.
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"I’m very concerned. Because my mother’s a resident here. If they’re not watching the patients and the residents, what are they doing?" questioned Cynthia Hernandez, whose mother resides at the facility.
A representative for Mission Skilled declined an on-camera interview with KTVU, offering instead a statement that said in part, "We were deeply saddened by the loss of our resident last year…We are working with the deceased resident’s family and applicable authorities to resolve this situation."
For Vera Plares' family, it's too late for apologies; their focus is on getting justice for their former matriarch and ensuring the safety of others in the care of Mission Skilled.
"Me and my family are going to have gaping holes in our hearts for the rest of our lives. Her pain is over. But ours is just beginning," said Sierra Plares.
The case against Delucca is currently on hold while she undergoes a mental health evaluation to determine her competency to stand trial. The evaluation is expected to be completed in August.
Jesse Gary is a reporter based in the station's South Bay bureau. Follow him on Instagram, @jessegontv and on Facebook, @JesseKTVU.