Gretchen Hoffman
GLENDALE -- Efren Saldivar and Glendale Adventist Medical Center were
sued Thursday by the estates of three former patients suspected of dying
at the hands of the former respiratory therapist.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday -- the one-year anniversary of
Saldivar's arrest -- by the estates of Salbi Asatryan, Myrtle Bower and
Balbino Castro. Saldivar is accused of giving fatal injections to six
patients at the hospital, trying to kill a seventh victim and possessing
drugs stolen from a hospital. He pleaded not guilty to all charges in
December.
Glendale Adventist officials could not be reached for comment late
Thursday.
The lawsuit is similar to more than 10 wrongful death lawsuits filed
and dismissed against Saldivar, partly because the one-year statute of
limitations had expired.
The attorney for the estates, Christopher Nicoll, said he plans to
take the angle that the alleged killings were elder abuse, which has a
three-year statute of limitations.
The lawsuit also emphasizes the alleged negligence of Saldivar's
supervisors. Named in the suit are respiratory therapists Ursula
Anderson, Elmer Diwa and Robert Baker.
When information from the investigation was made public, it revealed
the extent to which hospital officials knew about the alleged killings,
Nicoll said.
"Hopefully the criminal justice system will deal with Efren, but the
hospital has done so much wrong," Nicoll said. "It was really kind of an
accepted practice on the floor. At the highest levels of management, they
decided not to do anything about it."
