The Chicago Tribune reported that Morris Lee Brinkley, a 73-year-old home care nurse, has had her nursing license suspended.  According to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Ms. Brinkley's nursing license was suspended for, "failing to adequately treat bedsores and other signs of neglect on a 13 year-old home health care patient who subsequently died and for failure to report suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the Abused and Neglect Child Reporting Act."  

The 13-year-old boy the Department of Professional Regulation is referring to is Jaylen Brown.  Due to cerebral palsy, mental retardation and severe scoliosis, Jaylen relied on his home care nurses for all of his daily living needs.  

The nurses did not do their job.  In March, Jaylen's mother brought him to  the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital with dangerous medical conditions.  According to reports, Jaylen was presented to the hospital he had pressure ulcers on his shoulder, ear, legs and hand.  A pressure ulcer on his back had advanced so far, that the his bones were visible.  In May, 2008 Jaylen died from sepsis.  His death has been ruled a homicide.

Home health care nurses are commonly used to provide medical treatment to home-bound people of all ages.  In addition to providing medical treatment, home care professionals must report instances of suspected abuse or neglect back to authorities.  Amazingly, Morris Brinkley had more than 20 year nursing experience.