Closed Home’s Owner Denies Allegations

The owner of an El Toro convalescent home closed by state investigators denied allegations Tuesday of brutality against boarders.

On orders from the state Department of Social Services, Ingrid Henshall’s six boarders, and four boarders at a convalescent home owned by her son and daughter-in-law, were removed Monday, as department investigators, accompanied by sheriff’s deputies, watched.

The houses, known as Love Haven I and II, are located across the street from one another in the 24300 block of Baker Street.

Henshall called the actions a “vendetta” because of her four-year battle with the Social Services Department over the care her elderly boarders receive.

“I’m a target,” Henshall said. “I’ve been fighting for better care for our seniors since 1983 and I have to be eliminated because I was fighting Social Services and you don’t fight Social Services.”

Fred Dumont, head of the Social Services Department in Santa Ana, said, however, that the investigation was based on complaints by former employees and violations of department codes found regularly during inspections at the Love Haven homes.

“There’s certainly no vendetta or anything like that going on,” he said.

A Social Services Department report accuses Henshall’s son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Karen Cabael, of handcuffing one resident to her bed at night and neglecting her bathroom needs, forcing her to soil her clothes and bedding overnight.

The report also accuses Mike Cabael of smoking marijuana with a former employee in the house and leaving a pistol and a loaded BB gun within easy access of the residents and the Cabaels’ children.

Karen Cabael said she and her husband would not comment on the allegations until they have spoken with an attorney.

A separate Social Services report alleges several incidents of brutality. In one instance, the report said, Henshall dragged a resident into the bathroom, slapped her and pulled her hair.

On another occasion, Henshall allegedly “hit (one) resident repeatedly with her hands and with a shoe because the resident kept getting out of bed,” the report said.

Department investigator Rod Crab said the department has not sought criminal charges.

Residents of the homes have moved in with relatives or to other convalescent facilities.

Maxine Goodrich of Laguna Hills, conservator of Florence Hoon, a Henshall boarder, said Tuesday: “I was just dumbfounded . . . when I got the call. I feel like she had very good care. There may be things wrong that I don’t know about, but I just don’t see them. Florence would look to (the home’s caretakers) for whatever she wanted, and there they were, johnny-on-the-spot, ready to help.”

Dumont said a hearing will be held within 30 days to determine whether the state will revoke Henshall’s and the Cabaels’ licenses, which permit them to house senior citizens.