Nursing home employee who allegedly abused resident ‘no longer employed by Six Nations’

Six Nations of the Grand River (SNGR) says an employee accused of sexually abusing a resident at Iroquois Lodge — a long-term-care home on the reserve — no longer works there.

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“The staff member involved in the alleged abuse is no longer employed by SNGR and can’t be rehired,” Six Nations communications co-ordinator Darryl Smart told The Spectator in an email on Thursday.

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It is unclear if the employee was fired or when they stopped working at the long-term-care home in Ohsweken.

Iroquois Lodge is in the spotlight after a Ministry of Long-Term Care inspection found a staff member engaged in a “sexual encounter” with a resident and the home’s administration did not report it.

In a report dated Oct. 19, ministry inspectors said the facility’s administrator “substantiated” the abuse allegations — made by a staff member who witnessed the alleged incident — but chose not to contact the authorities.

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That decision put residents at “potential risk,” the inspectors wrote.

Andrew Joseph, the administrator of Iroquois Lodge, responded to an email from The Spectator asking why he did not call the police to report the alleged sexual abuse — as is required by the home’s policies on resident abuse — by directing all media questions to Smart.

Smart did not confirm whether elected council has since informed Six Nations Police of the alleged abuse but did say “all incidences of this nature will be reported to the police.”

In a phone interview, the chief of Six Nations Police said no investigation is currently underway into the allegations.

“I can tell you there’s been nothing reported to us,” Darren Montour told The Spectator. “I don’t know who it involves or what the circumstances are.”

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At this time, Montour suggested the onus lies with Iroquois Lodge or SNGR to bring the matter to police.

“I’m sure once everything’s said and done over there — if they’re looking into some sort of protocol review or what have you — then if they’re going to report it, we’ll deal with it then,” Montour said .

By email, Smart told The Spectator there will be a “discussion” with Joseph “on the need for due diligence and timely reporting of any/all alleged incidents involving consensual/non-consensual abuse — sexual, physical, financial, etc. — to the police.”

The administrator will also provide a monthly report about critical incidents at the home and meet weekly with SNGR officials.

The ministry inspectors further alleviated three employees were allowed to work at Iroquois Lodge despite not submitting criminal background checks.

Earlier this week, elected council — which oversees Iroquois Lodge through Six Nations Health Services — promised a “thorough review” of the facility’s procedures.

That review will include educating all staff by the end of January on “what constitutes a critical incident, reporting structure and timelines,” Smart said.

JP Antonacci is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at the Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

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