“The urgent closure is immediately mandated following an inspection by the Social Security Institute when an imminent danger to the life of residents is identified, with immediate evacuation and proper relocation to family or suitable social care,” justified the Social Security in a statement.
During the action, inspection services of the Social Security Institute were accompanied by the GNR’s Unit for Investigation and Support to Specific Victims and the Western Health Authority.
An official source from the GNR told Lusa news agency that a search and arrest warrant from the Peniche Public Prosecutor’s Office was enforced, as part of an investigation that had been ongoing for several months due to “suspicions of elder abuse” at this illegal care home in the Leiria district.
“One of the main concerns was to cease the activity,” the source added.
The owner of the care home, a 26-year-old woman, a repeat offender in this activity, was arrested and is currently at the GNR facilities in Batalha awaiting her first judicial interrogation at the Leiria Court for the application of coercive measures.
The same source mentioned that the surveillance system of the illegal care home was seized for investigative purposes.
“The investigation suggested there were more people, but we only found three,” the source further stated.
Two of the elderly residents were referred to their families and the third to a licensed Residential Structure for the Elderly.
