VA Nursing Home employees accused of killing 93-year-old patient

OXFORD, Miss. (WCBI) – Two workers at the Mississippi State Veterans Home in Oxford are charged with Manslaughter after the death of a patient.

Jeanee Dunn, 25, and Bridget Austin, 41, are both charged with Manslaughter – Culpable Negligence.

Jeanee Dunn

The investigation started on April 15, 2017 when Durley Bratton, 93, was taken to the Regional One Trauma Center.

Bratton, a World War II veteran, was living at the Oxford VA facility at the time.

Bridget Austin

Jeff McCutchen is Major of Operations with the Oxford Police Department and says authorities were notified shortly after Bratton was taken to the Memphis hospital.

“They reported Mr. Bratton had injuries they felt needed to be reported, whether abuse of a vulnerable adult. Within a matter of days, Mr. Bratton lost his life due to those injuries,” McCutchen explained.

Through the investigation, police identified the two suspects.

Oxford Police Chief Joey East says investigators believe Dunn and Austin dropped Bratton, putting him back in bed, without notifying any hospital officials.

An autopsy revealed Bratton died as a result of blunt force injuries on April 18.

The autopsy results only recently came back, leading to Dunn and Austin’s arrests.

Bond for each suspect was set at $250,000 each.