Valley View Health Care: Resident Climbs Fence, Drinks - CO
The September 5 elopement exposed a blind spot in the facility's security camera coverage and raised questions about fence design when the resident's mother had specifically called asking whether it was electrified.
Resident #1 was last seen at 9:30 p.m. during routine building rounds. Fifteen minutes later, staff discovered he was missing and immediately began searching the building and grounds before calling police, the nursing home administrator, and the director of nursing.
Staff found the resident at 10:30 p.m. "a couple blocks away from the facility" and noted he had "a strong odor of alcohol." He returned willingly at 10:45 p.m. and was placed on one-to-one supervision.
When interviewed three days later, the resident explained exactly how he escaped. He "left the facility grounds by climbing the corner section of the perimeter fence" and told staff "the tension wires were installed on the interior side of the fence and served as foot holds, allowing him to climb and propel himself over the fence."
The resident said "climbing the fence was easy for him to accomplish due to his physical fitness."
His escape came after an agitating phone call from his mother earlier that day. Licensed practical nurse LPN #2, who was assigned as his one-on-one monitor for elopement concerns, said the resident "became agitated after a call from his mother on the day of the elopement."
The resident had consistently expressed his desire to leave the facility. LPN #2 said he "had voiced in the past his desire to leave the facility to go to his home country." After his return, the resident told the social services director he "continued to report his desire to relocate to his home country and his belief he did not need placement in the facility."
He told staff his "mother told him she was coming for him because he did not belong there" and said "it was coming soon" when asked when this would happen.
The resident's mother had previously called the facility "with questions about the fence being electrified," which the social services director confirmed "the fence was not electrified." The timing of her inquiry about the fence's electrical status, followed by her son's successful climb over it, was not addressed in the facility's investigation.
This was not the resident's first stay at Valley View. The social services director said he "had been a resident at the facility prior to his admission" and during his previous stay "was independent and appropriate on outings."
The resident's legal situation had changed between admissions. His "mother no longer had guardianship" and "the facility was contacted by the appointed guardian to see if Resident #1 could return to the facility."
The facility's investigation found no staff or resident witnesses to the actual escape. Security cameras "did not capture the elopement, identifying a blind spot in coverage." The social services director said she "reviewed the security cameras one to two times a week or more if needed" to "observe for behaviors or as part of an investigation to reveal what occurred."
LPN #2 described the resident's behavior as normal before the escape. She said he "had seemed baseline, completing normal routines with smoking and spending time outside, taking his medications and conversing with her." He was "last seen outside in the front courtyard, prior to him eloping."
The facility conducted 15-minute checks on residents, but the timing proved insufficient to prevent the escape. Once staff realized he was missing, they "started a building and grounds search then began notifying appropriate parties."
Upon his return, the resident told staff he "got disoriented and did not know how to get back to the facility," though he had managed to obtain alcohol during his hour of freedom. Staff assessed him and "monitored for alcohol intoxication" while maintaining one-to-one supervision.
The inspection found the facility failed to adequately prevent the elopement despite knowing the resident's history and desires to leave. The resident's detailed explanation of how the fence's own safety features became escape aids highlighted a fundamental design flaw that remained unaddressed even after his mother's pointed questions about electrification.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Valley View Health Care Center, Inc from 2025-09-11 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
Additional Resources
Data source: Official federal inspection data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Editorial process: AI-synthesized regulatory data, reviewed for accuracy by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: June 20, 2026 · Our methodology
VALLEY VIEW HEALTH CARE CENTER, INC in CANON CITY, CO was cited for violations during a health inspection on September 11, 2025.
Resident #1 was last seen at 9:30 p.m.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.