Found Deceased KY - James “Garfield” Grubbs, 70, didn't make it to nursing home after release from jail, Bob’s Creek community, near Cawood, 25 Jan 2026

[GraceG]

Likely whoever is paying the man's nursing home bills. Either private pay or Medicaid.

Medicaid does not pay for transportation outside of medical care apointments (though returning him to the nursing facility should qualify, in my opinion). This info is for another state, but has some details - but it is NOT easy. You can't just call someone and say I need a ride and medicare is paying for it. There's a LOT of hoops to jump through and for a person with perhaps cognitive issues? I can't see them being able to manage it without assistance. Medicaid: Non-Emergency Medical Transportation..

The whole situation is unbeliably sad, he seems to have been failed in so many ways.

 

[wendybtn]

Likely whoever is paying the man's nursing home bills. Either private pay or Medicaid.

What I meant was the staff on duty wasn't going to pay and I don't believe you can charge a taxi on your Medicaid card.

 

[musicaljoke]

And who is paying for that?

Are you suggesting that there is no one who would pay and therefore the reasonable outcome is to leave him to die?

I suspect that the issue is not lack of funds for a taxi, but lack of human compassion.

 

[wendybtn]

Are you suggesting that there is no one who would pay and therefore the reasonable outcome is to leave him to die?

I suspect that the issue is not lack of funds for a taxi, but lack of human compassion.

Yes, I work with hospice and geriatric patients because I have no compassion. In reality, the family transports the patients to the facility. But some families don't want to and lots of jails release people during night time hours. It's a problem but the weekend staff at a nursing home, who are not managers or administrative personnel, are not responsible for this. Maybe he didn't want to go back. Who knows?

 

[KBlackRabbit]

I don’t care how “short staffed” they are, if they make the decision to take a resident away from the home (to go to the hospital or wherever) they need to be responsible for bringing him back. It’s negligence if they don’t.

So what happened? He gets taken to the hospital supposedly for a medical event? After treatment (if he got any) he’s discharged but has nowhere to go because he has cognitive impairment and can’t remember any phone numbers to call and the nursing home can’t be bothered? No social worker or advocate that can help? Did they bother to try to call family? They call the police and have an old man with probable dementia who didn’t even arrive there by his own decision arrested for trespassing. He’s taken by the cops, processed, and dumped into the cold. Brutal, cruel, and inhumane. The nursing home, the hospital, and the cops: all responsible for his death.

 

[LadyL]

And who is paying for that?

I would step up and pay it if I knew an old, vulnerable person was going to be out in the cold by himself with no ride home. It's not like it's a regular occurrence.

 

[LadyL]

What I meant was the staff on duty wasn't going to pay and I don't believe you can charge a taxi on your Medicaid card.

why would the staff on duty not offer to pay? like it's called being a human being, whether it's coming out of their pocket or not

 

[LadyL]

I don’t care how “short staffed” they are, if they make the decision to take a resident away from the home (to go to the hospital or wherever) they need to be responsible for bringing him back. It’s negligence if they don’t.

So what happened? He gets taken to the hospital supposedly for a medical event? After treatment (if he got any) he’s discharged but has nowhere to go because he has cognitive impairment and can’t remember any phone numbers to call and the nursing home can’t be bothered? No social worker or advocate that can help? Did they bother to try to call family? They call the police and have an old man with probable dementia who didn’t even arrive there by his own decision arrested for trespassing. He’s taken by the cops, processed, and dumped into the cold. Brutal, cruel, and inhumane. The nursing home, the hospital, and the cops: all responsible for his death.

yeah like a bunch of people couldn't get together and throw in $5 each? maybe give up their coffee for a day? unbelievable - they should all be ashamed

 

[crcgirl]

Why blame staff? They don't make much money and may not have even known the release plans from the jail. Weekend staff are often without administrators who can make arrangements and access funds.

 

[musicaljoke]

If he was a dog, there would be an army of pet rescue volunteers on call to pick him up, provide food and a safe home.

But he was just an old man released from prison so no one gave a moment's thought to turning him out to his death.

I expect that there are local benevolent folks, organizations, church groups, social supports etc, any one of which could have been called to see this man safely back to his nursing home.