Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

The secret of Robert Young’s death was almost buried forever with the nursing home resident who suffered from cerebral palsy. But his family kept asking questions. A year later, Young’s body was exhumed from his pauper’s grave and an autopsy was performed, revealing that the man’s death was the result of blunt force trauma to the head, according to the Chattanooga (Tennessee) Times Free Press.

Former nursing home worker Walter Small was arrested and charged with homicide in connection with Young’s death, and released Friday on a $5,000 bond. No court date has yet been set.

Young’s family has since filed lawsuits against Standifer Place in Chattanooga and the Tennessee Department of Human Services for “hiding the death and burial” of Young. The family is seeking $35 million against the nursing home for its involvement in Young’s wrongful death, and $900,000 against the Department of Human Services to compensate for negligence the family says the department showed following Young’s death.

County Medical Examiner Frank King says he did not perform an autopsy at the time of Young’s death because he was told the victim had fallen and fractured his skull as the result of a seizure.

The attorneys representing Young’s family also contend that Adult Protective Services, which had legal guardianship of Young, did not try to locate Young’s family when he was dying. Instead, the agency made arrangements to bury him in a pauper’s grave.

A spokesman for the state Department of Human Services has said that the department attempted to contact Young’s known relatives prior to his death, but to no avail.

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