WRAL Investigates: Holly Hill violated standards of care that could've prevented patient escapes, inspection says

WRAL Investigates learned on Monday that a local mental health hospital violated multiple standards of care, which may have resulted in patients escaping the facility.

According to a North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services inspection, which WRAL Investigates obtained a copy of, Holly Hill Hospital was cited for multiple standards of care. The inspection of the hospital was ordered after five children escaped from the hospital over three days in March.

Authorities found all five children safe.

"It was easy, I was surprised I could get out," Deana Artis said.

Artis reached out to WRAL Investigates along with her mother, Sarah Jones, after she escaped the facility in June. Artis said she was allowed to go to the bathroom with little supervision, which allowed her to slip away through the front doors.

In the 40-page inspection, 10 pages specifically said the hospital violated policies preventing patients from escaping.

According to the inspection, inspectors found no evidence that the facility’s seven electronic exit doors were checked on 14 of 51 days leading up to the escapes.

Inspectors said employees were required to check the doors everyday during each shift.

The inspector also said Holly Hill employees did not have two employees outside simultaneously during “fresh-air time,” which included one of the fence lines.

The report also indicated one employee failed to check on a patient listed as an escape risk every 15 minutes and another patient listed as a flight risk escaped later that day.

Jones called the situation sad and said she will never let her daughter go back to Holly Hill.

"It's a sad situation ... with mental health being such a big thing in our society nowadays, and not having much help to choose from," she said.

Since then, the U.S. Senate issued a report entitled "Warehouse of Neglect" calling our four companies, including Universal Health Services, which owns Holly Hill Hospital. The senators wrote, "the harms children experienced are the ... result of an operating model that incentivizes providers to optimize revenues and operating and profit margin.

The statements mirrored what two former employees told WRAL Investigates earlier in July. They blame the profit-over-patient mentality and staffing woes for inadequate care and frequent escapes.

Holly Hill responded to the findings in May and outlined a plan to improve door inspections, as well as conduct video audits to make sure two staff members are supervising patients outside.

The inspection from DHSS was heavily redacted. WRAL Investigates has requested an unredacted copy of the inspection and is waiting to hear back on the request.