Less than 24 hours before Hurricane Katrina began ravaging St. Bernard Parish with 140 mph winds and a 20-foot storm surge, Coroner Bryan Bertucci made an urgent call to the owner of St. Rita's Nursing Home near Poydras.
"I told her I had two buses and two drivers who could evacuate all 70 of her residents and take them anywhere she wanted to go," he said.
But Mabel Mangano refused the offer. "She told me, 'I have five nurses and a generator, and we're going to stay here,'" Bertucci said.
It turned out to be a tragic decision.
On Wednesday, nine days after the storm had passed, Bertucci watched as a dozen workers from a federal agency that specializes in handling mass casualties began the gruesome task of removing about 30 decomposing bodies from the still-flooded nursing home.
On Thursday, Attorney General Charles Foti Jr. announced he's launching an investigation into the deaths at the nursing home. [Read more - NOLA]
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Im really upset with what happen! my great grandmother was in there. My sister and mawmaw worked there and they told them theyu were evacuting thats why we didnt take her wit us! its really upseting because she was soo excited to see her great great grandson who is on the way! she shouldnt have died like that well none of them should have! they didnt die in peace like the owners said! how can you die in peice knowin you cant move n you see water rising higher thers nothin you can do!!
RIP Grandma!
Posted by: Jackie | January 20, 2006 at 03:59 PM
Jackie I miss you terribly ! I love you and have a home for you if you need it. Right now in Paradise California, or you can come to Maui with me to live in my house there !
Contact me !
Posted by: jackie Bruce contact Joel Davies at | February 10, 2006 at 02:28 AM
Jackie I love you ! Contact me I have a home for you if you need it in Parasdise, or you can can come to my house in Maui !
Posted by: jackie Bruce contact Joel Davies at | February 10, 2006 at 02:30 AM