A nursing home in New York has agreed to pay $500,000 and increase staffing to settle  allegations of inappropriate care of two residents, including a toddler, who died at the facility in 2014 and 2015.

Kaleida Health, which owns the facility, HighPointe on Michigan, located in Buffalo, NY, Wednesday issued a statement noting that it has been cooperating with the attorney general’s office and has made significant improvements since the deaths.                      

“As we have said numerous times in the past, these issues are unacceptable and are not tolerated,” the organization said. “Safe and reliable care is at the core of all that we do. Our first and foremost concern is the residents that we serve.” 

It has invested more than $12 million into the HighPointe facility since 2014 and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services now rates the facility four out of five stars for quality.                          

“It is important to note — and the Attorney General’s office points out — that we have made significant changes and investments over the past few years relative to staffing and quality of care,” Kaleida Health said. “This includes adding more than 75 full-time employees, changing out 85% of management and 60% of our frontline staff.”  

A total of 17 caregivers were arrested and convicted of neglect in the case of Larry K. Myers, 56, who was paralyzed with Huntington’s disease and died in 2014. Sixteen-month-old Jameir Benn died at the facility in 2015 after he was left unattended while he was being tube-fed sitting in a high chair.