MANSFIELD, Mo. — A woman who worked at Rocky Ridge Manor, a 65-bed nursing home in Wright County, has been charged with stealing more than $4,000 from the facility after administrators discovered that cash payments from residents were never deposited into facility accounts, according to reporting by KY3.
What Authorities Found
Teresa Downs, of Seymour, Missouri, was charged with theft after the Wright County Sheriff's Office investigated discrepancies in the facility's financial records, as reported by KY3. The facility's administrator brought receipts to law enforcement showing that multiple residents had made cash payments, but the corresponding funds never appeared in the nursing home's accounts.
When questioned by authorities, Downs claimed the missing money had been placed in a safe at the facility, according to KY3. However, investigators reported they were unable to locate the funds where Downs indicated they would be.
The total amount allegedly stolen exceeded $4,000, according to the Wright County Sheriff's Office. The charges stem from Downs' role handling resident payments at the Mansfield facility.
CMS Inspection History
Federal inspection records from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services paint a concerning picture when viewed alongside the current theft allegations. Rocky Ridge Manor currently holds an overall rating of 3 out of 5 stars from CMS, with identical 3-star ratings across health inspections, staffing, and quality measures.
What stands out in the facility's regulatory record is a pattern of deficiencies specifically related to reporting theft and abuse — the very type of misconduct now at the center of criminal charges.
During the facility's most recent CMS inspection in April 2025, surveyors cited Rocky Ridge Manor for failing to timely report suspected abuse, neglect, or theft and for failing to respond appropriately to all alleged violations. Both deficiencies were classified at severity level D, indicating the potential for minimal harm. Inspectors also cited the facility for failing to honor residents' rights to a dignified existence and self-determination during that same survey.
The theft-reporting deficiency was not new. CMS records show surveyors identified the same citation during a December 2023 inspection — meaning Rocky Ridge Manor was flagged in consecutive inspection cycles for inadequate procedures around reporting suspected theft to proper authorities. The facility was also cited in December 2023 for failing to respond appropriately to alleged violations.
Federal regulations under 42 CFR §483.12 require nursing homes to establish policies to prohibit and prevent abuse, neglect, and theft, and to report any suspected incidents to both the state agency and local law enforcement promptly. The repeated citations suggest the facility struggled to maintain adequate safeguards in the period leading up to the alleged theft by Downs.
Across six inspections on record with CMS, Rocky Ridge Manor has accumulated 18 total deficiencies. The facility is classified as a for-profit operation under individual ownership.
Ownership & Operations
Rocky Ridge Manor operates as a for-profit facility under individual ownership, according to CMS records. The 65-bed nursing home serves residents in Wright County, a rural area in south-central Missouri. Individually owned for-profit facilities of this size often operate with limited administrative oversight compared to larger corporate chains, though all nursing homes receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding must comply with the same federal standards for resident protections and financial safeguards.
The facility's middling CMS ratings — 3 stars across all categories — place it squarely at the national average, though the recurring deficiencies around theft and abuse reporting raise questions about whether internal controls were sufficient to protect residents' financial interests.
Resources for Families
Families with loved ones at Rocky Ridge Manor or any Missouri nursing facility who suspect financial exploitation, theft, or other forms of abuse should contact the Missouri Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-800-309-3282. The ombudsman program advocates for residents and can investigate complaints confidentially.
The National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center can also be reached at 1-800-677-1116 or online at [ltcombudsman.org](https://ltcombudsman.org).
Residents and families have the right under federal law to report suspected theft or financial exploitation without fear of retaliation. Concerns can also be reported directly to local law enforcement or to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, which oversees nursing home licensing and regulation in the state.