The owners of St. Rita’s Nursing Home in St. Bernard Parish did not abandon the residents during Hurricane Katrina as was originally believed, according to new details that have emerged about the case.

Information from survivors, government officials and the attorney for Sal and Mabel Mangano reveal a more humane side to the owners who have been charged with 34 counts of negligent homicide. The 34 refers to the number of residents who drowned when the floodwaters rose at the facility. A 35th corpse has since been found.

The owners actually worked alongside staff and other volunteers to rescue residents, the Manganos’ attorney, James Cobb, and witnesses said. Also, contrary to one popular story that circulated after the storm, none of the bodies were strapped to a bed or a wheelchair.

Largely because the facility was located on what was considered high ground — an area that did not flood during Hurricane Betsy in 1965 — the owners decided not to evacuate, new information reveals.