WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — Connecticut state officials have ordered Bickford Health Care Center to close its doors by April 10, 2026, following the death of a 93-year-old resident who left the building through a back door in the middle of the night and spent nearly three hours outside in freezing temperatures before staff found her, according to multiple Connecticut news outlets.
Margaret "Peggy" Healey, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, exited the nursing home through a rear employee entrance at approximately 1:50 a.m. on February 8, 2026, as reported by the Hartford Courant. Surveillance footage captured her leaving the building. She was discovered unresponsive in a snowbank roughly 40 feet from the facility at around 4:45 a.m., according to the Courant's reporting. Healey was pronounced dead at 6:46 a.m.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Healey's death and cited the facility for 14 violations, according to WTNH. Among the most serious findings: staff failed to check the wander guard alert system designed to prevent residents from leaving undetected, the facility did not notify police within the required 15-minute window after discovering a resident was missing, and the 911 call was not placed until 6:23 a.m. — more than an hour and a half after Healey was found outside, as reported by the Courant.
Investigators also found significant security lapses at the facility, according to WTNH. The keypad access code for the back employee entrance was found printed near the door, and the door was routinely left propped open. Three emergency exit doors were not properly maintained, according to the Courant. The facility also lacked around-the-clock physician coverage.
Staffing levels the night Healey died were far below what was required. According to NBC Connecticut, only two staff members were on duty when there should have been five. State lawmakers have called for extending the April 10 closure deadline, citing the difficulty families face in finding new placements on short notice, as reported by NBC Connecticut.
The Connecticut Department of Social Services Commissioner Andrea Barton Reeves appointed Katharine Sacks as temporary manager of the facility to oversee the transfer of all remaining residents, according to Fox61. Sacks told WFSB that staff and families have been informed of the closure, though residents themselves have not yet been directly notified to avoid causing unnecessary alarm. There are currently 36 people living at the 48-bed facility on Main Street in Windsor Locks.
All patients must be relocated to other nursing homes by the April 10 deadline, or the facility's participation in Medicaid will be terminated, according to Fox61. State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Mairead Painter is meeting with residents and their families to coordinate placements that accommodate each individual's care needs, as reported by Fox61.
Both the Windsor Locks Police Department and state health officials continue to investigate the circumstances of Healey's death, according to Patch.
CMS Inspection History
Federal inspection records provide important context about Bickford Health Care Center's regulatory track record leading up to this incident. Federal regulations require nursing homes to maintain adequate staffing levels, secure exits to prevent elopement of residents with cognitive impairments, and implement wander prevention systems for at-risk residents. Facilities receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding must comply with these requirements as a condition of participation.
The failure of wander guard systems and unsecured exit doors cited in this case represent violations of federal safety standards that require nursing homes to provide a safe environment and to supervise residents based on their assessed needs. For a facility caring for Alzheimer's patients, elopement prevention is a fundamental safety obligation. The finding that only two of five required staff members were on duty the night Healey died points to systemic operational failures rather than an isolated incident.
The state's decision to order full closure rather than impose a plan of correction signals that regulators determined the deficiencies were too severe to remediate while residents remained in the facility. Termination of Medicaid participation — the financial mechanism enforcing the April 10 deadline — is among the most serious enforcement actions available to state and federal regulators.
Ownership & Operations
Bickford Health Care Center operates as a 48-bed chronic and convalescent nursing home in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The appointment of a temporary manager by the Department of Social Services indicates that the state has effectively taken operational control of the facility during the wind-down period. DSS is handling the financial aspects of the closure while DPH addresses the regulatory deficiencies, according to WFSB.
Resources for Families
Families of residents affected by this closure or those with concerns about care at any nursing home facility can access the following resources:
- Connecticut Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program: State Ombudsman Mairead Painter's office is actively coordinating with affected families regarding resident transfers and placement options. - National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center: 1-800-677-1116 - Eldercare Locator: Families seeking nursing home placements can call 1-800-677-1116 for assistance identifying available facilities in their area.
Federal law requires that residents displaced by a facility closure receive at least 30 days' notice and that the facility and state work together to ensure safe, orderly transfers that account for each resident's medical needs and personal preferences. Families have the right to participate in selecting a new facility and should contact the ombudsman program if they have concerns about the transfer process.