Police investigate suspicious death at Bluffton care facility, records show
Police this week launched an investigation into a death at a Bluffton assisted living facility, according to officials and law enforcement records.
The death at NHC Healthcare Bluffton was reported Tuesday morning, according to a Bluffton Police Department public information log. It lists the incident as a suspicious death and says officers were called about alleged elder abuse at the facility on Okatie Highway.
Department spokesperson Edith Moody would not answer additional questions about the incident as of Thursday morning, including why the death was labeled as suspicious and whether any charges were being pursued.
Death reported to Beaufort County Coroner’s Office
Chief Deputy Coroner Shane Bowers, a spokesperson for the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office, said Wednesday morning the death had been reported to his agency, but personnel would not be performing an autopsy.
NHC Healthcare Bluffton’s executive director did not immediately respond to The Island Packet’s request for comment Thursday morning. The 208-bed post-acute facility offers long-term care, short-term rehab, therapy services and 24/7 skilled nursing, according to its website.
The center, owned by the Tennessee-based provider National HealthCare Corporation, had an overall rating of four stars from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as of Thursday, representing an above-average score.
This report will be updated.
