A Philadelphia nurse is facing felony charges after an 84-year-old stroke patient was left unattended for eight hours following a serious fall, ultimately dying in a wheelchair in the lobby of Cathedral Village, a senior living facility in Upper Roxborough. Christann Gainey, 30, of Earp Street, was arrested and charged with neglect of a care-dependent person, involuntary manslaughter, and tampering with records in connection with the April 13, 2018 death of Herbert R. McMaster, Sr.
McMaster had been admitted to the rehabilitation program just three days prior after suffering a stroke. On the night of April 12, staff found him on the floor of his room after an unwitnessed fall around 11:30 p.m. Facility policy required hourly neurological checks to monitor for signs of head trauma, but Gainey failed to perform a single assessment. These checks — which include tests of motor function, verbal response, eye reaction, and vital signs — could have revealed the severity of his injuries and prompted emergency treatment.
At approximately 7:00 a.m. on April 13, staff discovered McMaster dead in the lobby, seated in a wheelchair. When the assistant director of nursing requested the required neurological assessment records, Gainey provided paperwork claiming she had completed a check at 7:20 a.m. — 20 minutes after McMaster was found dead. Under questioning, Gainey admitted to falsifying the entry.
Surveillance footage from the facility’s lobby confirmed that Gainey never conducted any neurological exams on McMaster following the fall. Investigators with the Office of Attorney General, working alongside Philadelphia police, found no evidence she entered the patient’s room or provided any care during the night shift. The Philadelphia Chief Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death as blunt impact head trauma, with an untreated subdural hematoma listed as a contributing factor.
“She did not perform one — not one — neurological check on Mr. McMaster, and even lied on the paperwork that she did,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at a press conference. “This nurse ignored her job responsibilities, falsified records, and neglected a man who trusted her with his care. We will hold her accountable.”
Gainey is now in custody and faces multiple felony counts, including involuntary manslaughter and tampering with records. The case highlights systemic failures in elder care oversight and sends a clear message: those who knowingly neglect vulnerable patients in Pennsylvania will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: Pennsylvania AG
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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