Horror stories from inside shut down assisted living facility

Cape Coral police are at the assisted living facility that was forced to shut down due to bed bugs, dripping water pipes and sexual assault allegations.

On Friday, Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration filed the emergency shut-down order for the Woodlands Assisted Living Facility in Cape Coral.

Tuesday at 5 p.m. is the last day for everyone and everything to be taken out of the facility.

The Woodlands Assisted Living Center was just about empty on Monday. Bags of clothes could be seen sitting in plastic bags behind a locked front door, like trash waiting to be thrown out, but the memories of what happened behind those walls will never go away for Arista Ramsey.

A year and a half ago, Ramsey checked her mom, Beverly, into the facility. Now, she can’t forgive herself.

“It was so hard. There were times I couldn’t even go back because I would be in depression, feeling like nothing was being done,” Ramsey said.

The emergency suspension order says there was at least one report of sexual assault.

Ramsey said the report doesn’t even scratch the surface of what really went on at the facility or, as she calls it, the Haunted House.

She said her mom was sexually assaulted and tried to protect herself the only way she could: by wearing layers of clothing. Ramsey said she wore five shirts and seven pairs of pants.

“That’s when I was finding out what was going on when I wasn’t there. That’s the only way she could protect herself,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey moved her mom to a facility in Fort Myers, where she lived out the rest of her days. When WINK News asked whether she went to the police, she said yes but never filed a report. Instead, she went to the state.

Getting nowhere, she said she decided to volunteer at the facility doing people’s hair. She hoped things would get better. Instead, Ramsey said they got worse. She’s glad the state finally moved in. She said the people who lived there deserve better.

WINK News walked into the facility Monday and was told no one could comment.

WINK also called and emailed the state healthcare administration, but no one responded. Bottom line, the Woodlands must be closed by Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Police could not say why they were at the facility.