DENVER, Colorado — The last time anyone at Applewood Our House assisted-living facility checked on Lavina Bonacci was between 7:30 and 8 p.m. on Jan. 11, 2021. At age 88, her mind had turned foggy with Alzheimer’s disease, and she was known as a wanderer who needed to be regularly monitored to keep her safe.
It is why her family turned to the 16-bed facility in Lakewood the summer before for help.
But on that frigid night, more than 12 hours passed before the staff realized she was missing, eventually finding her outside frozen to death. She was lying on the ground, her legs poking from the bushes in an outdoor area no bigger than a suburban backyard. She was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, thin pants and socks.
Her empty wheelchair was nearby, its tracks visible in the snow. A toothbrush and tube of toothpaste were on the ground next to her, presumably what she grabbed when in her confusion she thought she was leaving.
To read the full story from our partners at the Denver Gazette, click here.
Full interview with Jenny Deams can be found here.
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