Four hospital employees on leave after patient's death

Raleigh, N.C. — Four employees of a Goldsboro residential treatment center have been placed on investigatory leave following the death of a resident at the facility, the Department of Health and Human Services said Thursday.

The patient died Wednesday evening at the O'Berry Neuro-Medical Center – a living facility for people with chronic medical conditions and developmental disabilities, DHHS spokesman Brad Deen said in a news release.

Abuse is not suspected, he said, but confidentiality laws prevent the agency from releasing any other details

Two health care technicians and two supervisory-level employees were removed from patient care and placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

“Law enforcement has been called in, and a thorough investigation into this incident is being conducted,” DHHS Secretary Lanier Cansler said in a statement. “In keeping with our zero-tolerance policy, any employee whose actions contributed to the death of this patient will be held accountable."

"We will also be reviewing our policies to determine if changes are warranted,” Cansler said.