KINGWOOD, W.Va. – A former Hopemont Hospital registered nurse who has been charged with malicious neglect of an incapacitated adult causing death will have her case heard in Preston County Circuit Court.
Delilah Clyburn-Hill was determined by Preston County Magistrate Bo Ward to have probable cause to move the case over to circuit court as part of preliminary hearing Friday. Clyburn-Hill was the unit charge nurse the night of Jan. 4, 2024, when 61-year-old Larry Hedrick suffered severe burns in a whirlpool bath that led to his death. Hedrick was a nonverbal 61-year-old with dementia and other medical conditions who required total care.
According to investigators, Hedrick was placed in the bath at 7:12 p.m. on that January night by Certified Nursing Assistant Kylah Beard, who was shown on surveillance footage leaving the whirlpool room several times for increments of a few seconds, with a cell phone in her hand for the majority of the video.
Once an issue was recognized by CNAs, investigators say Clyburn-Hill was notified to tend to Hedrick, but did not respond. Beard also notified another CNA, who came in an noted the water temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit. This CNA also went to notify Clyburn-Hill, who still did not respond a request for help.
A third CNA was also brought in where they attempted, unsuccessfully, to involve Clyburn-Hill for a third time within an hour period. Clyburn-Hill came to the bathing room 25 minutes after the first contact from Beard, but left shortly afterward and didn’t return. Surveillance video shows her on her cell phone at the nurse station after she left the bathing room.
After four CNAs were contacted, one from another unit at the hospital, Hedrick was moved back to his room where it was observed that flesh was rolling off his lower extremities and there was flesh and blood in the base of the tub.
At 8:54 p.m., more than an hour after she was first notified of the incident, Clyburn-Hill called 911 and also called the doctor in charge to obtain permission to administer morphine to Hedrick.
According to investigators, an ambulance arrived at 9:03 p.m.. Hedrick received morphine at 9:07 p.m. before being transported to Preston Memorial Hospital at 9:26 p.m. Kedrick was determined to have suffered second- and third-degree burns. He was transferred to West Penn Burn Center, where he arrived at 12:51 a.m. on the 5th. He eventually died from complications of his injuries on January 12.
The criminal complaint filed against Clayburn-Hill’s cites lengthy intentional and malicious failures including failing to conduct a nursing assessment following the incident, failing to identify changes in Hedrick’s health status or to comprehend clinical implications of his signs symptoms and changes.
The complaint also said she failed to apply nursing knowledge and failed to implement appropriate treatment for the injuries, including administering pain medication. She failed to demonstrate attentiveness and monitoring, and failed to explain to the doctor the severity of Hedrick’s condition.
Kylah Beard has also been charged with malicious neglect of an incapacitated adult causing death in connection to the incident. Her case has been continued to a future date.