Chamber to Retract Charges : Sunland Care Facility Cleared of Allegations

A state investigation of alleged abuses at the Sunshine Manor in Sunland has uncovered no violations at the state-licensed home for former mental patients, according to a report prepared for the state Department of Social Services.

The finding, coupled with threats of a defamation suit by the Sunshine Manor, has prompted the Sunland-Tujunga Chamber of Commerce to draft a retraction of allegations about the facility made by chamber officials last month.

Press Conference Set

The chamber has scheduled a press conference Friday to release a statement to “clarify” criticism it made earlier about the home, said chamber attorney Daniel Baldwin. An attorney for Sunshine Manor said the public statement will include a formal apology by the chamber.

The state investigation was requested by the Chamber of Commerce last month after more than 200 Sunland residents and merchants signed a petition complaining about the alleged lack of supervision at Sunshine Manor. The manor first came under fire in October, when one of its residents allegedly grabbed a 3-year-old girl, who was not harmed.

Reports of Abuses

In a letter to the Department of Social Services, Chamber of Chamber President Mike Horn said the chamber had received “repeated reports” of abuses at the facility, including harassment of residents by the management and “Satan and voodoo practices” by residents.

“Incidents have occurred in our community with Sunshine Manor residents and former residents of this facility harassing children, seniors and businesses,” Horn wrote. “We feel facilities such as the Sunshine Manor have long gone unnoticed in our city and state.”

Jeffrey A. Lipow, an attorney hired by the Sunshine Manor in response to the chamber’s charges, said the 98-bed private facility has suffered a 20% loss in business because of a “well-calculated campaign” by the chamber to undermine the reputation of the community care facility.

“Your public defamation of Sunshine Manor is a malicious attempt to force my clients out of business,” Lipow wrote in a letter to Horn. “Your public statements alleging that satanic worship and voodoo rituals occur at Sunshine Manor are inflammatory lies created to defame a legitimate, honest business entity.” Lipow demanded a public retraction and apology from the chamber.

Visit by Evaluator

To investigate the chamber’s allegations, state evaluator Nancy McSween made an unannounced visit to Sunshine Manor earlier this month. Her report, filed with the department in Los Angeles, said there was no evidence of Satan worship and voodoo practices, swapping of medication among residents, harassment of residents by the management, unreported cases of venereal disease or inadequate outside activities for residents. The chamber’s letter had asked that each of those alleged abuses be investigated.

In reference to the alleged Satan worship--the allegation that most outraged Sunshine Manor officials--McSween wrote that a volunteer from a local church had been asked not to discuss the devil with Sunshine Manor residents because “comments made about the devil during prayer has frightened some of the residents and by some is interpreted as possibly devil worship.” McSween said the unidentified volunteer touched residents on the head during prayer and shouted, “Out with the devil.”

McSween reported that she interviewed seven of the 85 residents now at Sunshine Manor and that their statements “partially substantiated” two other complaints by the chamber. She said that some residents indicated that stolen personal belongings had been stolen. In addition, the facility had gone for one month without a permanent activities director, she said.

Letter to Senator

But Anita Blyth, community care licensing manager for the department, described the problems as minor ones that have been corrected.

Linda S. McMahon, director of community care licensing in Sacramento, said in a letter to state Sen. Newton R. Russell (R-Glendale), who was sent a copy of the chamber’s allegations last month, that “no new deficiencies” have been uncovered at Sunshine Manor and that the facility is “in full compliance” with state law.

Baldwin, the chamber attorney, said Russell and several other government officials and agencies will receive the chamber’s statement to be issued Friday.

Lipow, the home’s lawyer, said the chamber’s statement will apologize to Zoltan Lovi, a part owner of Sunshine Manor. He said the retraction statement was worked out by attorneys to avert a lawsuit by Lovi.