Lawsuit Claims Residents At Morris Plains Assisted Living Facility Severely Beaten By Staff

MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Two elderly men have filed a civil lawsuit against an assisted living facility in Morris Plains claiming staff repeatedly beat them.

Henry Glowacki, 92, and Robert Prochazka, 89, allege they were assaulted by staff at Sunrise Assisted Living on Littleton Road in 2010, leaving them severely bruised.

Glowacki and Prochazka were beaten over an extended period of time, according to the complaint which was filed Wednesday.

1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg reports

EXTRA: Click Here To Read The Complaint (pdf)

Both men were beaten so severely, their stomachs, chests, backs, shoulders and upper arms were covered with extensive bruises, according to the lawsuit.

Prochazka also sustained fractures to his ribs and one of his fingers, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims "the beatings were done in such a manner and in such locations upon the plaintiffs' bodies clearly so as to minimize the risk that the welts and bruises would be discovered by family members."

Many times, the injuries would be hidden by their clothing.

Attorney Gregg Trautmann said the two men were targeted because they suffer from Alzheimer's and can't identify their attackers.

Glowacki had apparently complained of pains on his chest to a staff member two weeks before bruises from the alleged beatings were discovered.

The bruises were first noticed on December 15, 2010 by a care manager while she was washing Glowacki, according to the lawsuit.

She had apparently asked Glowacki to sit down but he refused saying the injuries to his buttocks hurt too much, according to the suit. The care manager logged the findings on Glowacki's chart.

On December 20, 2010, after a medication care manager found Glowacki crying in his room, he told the worker that another employee had been hitting him, according to the complaint.

The next day, bruises were apparently discovered on two other residents.

The facility first launched its own investigation and put two employees suspected of the beatings on administrative leave before finally contacting the police, according to the lawsuit.

"Rather than transport the victims of the beatings immediately to the hospital Sunrise engaged in its own investigation in an effort to minimize the negative publicity which the revelation of the mass beatings would have," the complaint said.

The alleged victims' families were not contacted until after the police investigation was launched, the lawsuit states.

Sunrise issued the following statement:

"We take all allegations seriously. Our first priority is, and will continue to be, protecting the health and safety of our residents. We are always seeking to improve our operations and have confidence in the current team to serve our residents and their families. It is Sunrise's policy not to comment on pending litigation."

No criminal charges have been filed.