Nursing Home Hit With $225,000 in Citations After Hiring Abusive Employee – Why This Can Never Be Allowed to Happen

At Ketterer, Browne & Davani, LLC (KBD), we fight every day for victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. Sadly, another disturbing case out of California shows just how devastating it can be when facilities fail to protect their residents.

According to a recent KCRA 3 Investigates report, Rancho Seco Care Center in Galt, California, was fined $225,000 after hiring a certified nursing assistant with a known criminal history of abuse. Within six weeks of being hired, that employee was accused of sexually assaulting multiple elderly residents in his care.

This is more than a regulatory violation. It is a complete and utter betrayal of trust. Nursing homes exist to provide safety, dignity, and care for vulnerable residents — not to put them directly in harm’s way. At KBD, we believe this kind of systemic failure is absolutely unacceptable.

What Happened at Rancho Seco Care Center?

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) records reveal that the facility knowingly hired Justin Atkinson, despite his prior guilty plea in 2019 to charges involving abusive conduct. Within weeks of starting work, Atkinson admitted to police that he had sexually assaulted six residents. Individuals at Rancho range in age from their 50s to their 90s, many with physical and cognitive impairments.

Atkinson is now serving nine years in prison after pleading no contest to seven felony charges, including sexual battery of a disabled person and lewd acts upon a dependent adult.

But the problem doesn’t end with one employee. Regulators allege that Rancho Seco knew about Atkinson’s past and chose to hire him anyway. Worse, when residents reported abuse, the nursing home allegedly failed to properly investigate.

A Disturbing Pattern of Failures

The CDPH fined the facility $225,000 for nine separate citations, the largest set of penalties elder advocates say they’ve seen issued in such a short timeframe. On top of that, investigators found 26 additional violations of federal regulations, including more failures to prevent abuse.

Families of residents describe the home as chronically understaffed and unsafe. Reports of residents fighting each other, staff ignoring red flags, and administrators refusing to take accountability all paint the same picture: a facility that puts profits and convenience over safety.

This is not an isolated incident. Across the country, nursing homes too often cut corners, hire unqualified staff, and ignore warning signs—all while collecting money from families who believe their loved ones are safe.

Accountability Must Be Demanded

In addition to the CDPH fines, California’s Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against Rancho Seco’s parent company, Sweetwater Care, alleging “unlawful, unfair, and fraudulent business practices.” The lawsuit claims the company put millions of dollars into profits instead of meeting minimum staffing requirements that could have prevented such horrific abuse.

At KBD Attorneys, we know this kind of neglect and abuse is never just a matter of “bad luck.” It’s the result of systemic failures—failures that devastate families and shatter lives. That is why we fight relentlessly on behalf of survivors of nursing home abuse, assault, and neglect.

Why This Is Unacceptable

Let’s be clear:

• It is unacceptable for a nursing home to hire someone with a known criminal history of abuse.

• It is unacceptable for administrators to dismiss abuse allegations instead of investigating them.

• It is unacceptable for companies to profit while leaving residents defenseless and at risk.

Every resident has the right to live free from abuse and neglect. When a nursing home fails at its most basic duty—protecting its residents—it must be held accountable.

How KBD Attorneys Helps Victims of Nursing Home Abuse

KBD Attorneys, we represent victims and families nationwide who have suffered because of nursing home abuse, sexual assault, neglect, and systemic failures. We investigate cases where facilities ignored red flags, failed to conduct proper background checks, or placed profits above safety.

If your loved one has been harmed in a nursing home or long-term care facility, you are not alone—and you are not powerless. We stand with survivors and their families to demand justice, accountability, and meaningful change in the nursing home industry.

Contact KBD Attorneys Today

If you suspect that your loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, contact KBD Attorneys. We will fight to protect your family’s rights and hold negligent facilities accountable.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

Because when it comes to our most vulnerable, anything less than safety and dignity is simply unacceptable.