FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Pamela Harney’s dementia prevents her from being able to feed or dress herself.
”She essentially has capacity of probably like a 3-year-old,” said Ryan Harney, Pamela’s son.
So Harney was upset when he said he was told by administrators at his mother’s living facility she had consented to sex with a fellow resident.
“I wanted to projectile vomit straight into her face, because it made me so sick to my stomach,” said Ryan Harney. “At the cognitive level my mom was at, which is basically a small child.”
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, Ryan Harney said his mother was sexually abused on at least two occasions while living at Federal Way’s Brookdale Foundation House.
The lawsuit claims the home should have done more to protect Pamela Harney.
According to the lawsuit, and an investigation headed up by the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, Pamela Harney and a male resident from the facility had two encounters in May 2023. The lawsuit alleges the facility has security footage of the couple, naked, in a bed. It’s believed the two had sex.
Ryan Harney said he was told the male resident would be under close supervision to prevent a repeat of the incident.
Six days later, he got a call at work stating his mother and the man were in a room alone together again. Investigators said Pamela Harney was naked, but the man was not.
“I was at 10 out of 10 for me,” said Ryan Harney of his reaction. “So that's pretty angry.”
It only got worse, said Harney. He said an internal investigation conducted by Brookdale determined the couple was enjoying their encounters and it appeared “mutual and not forced,” according to the lawsuit.
The state’s investigation found no violation of laws or standards. The male resident was removed from the facility after the second encounter, said state investigators.
A spokesperson for Brookdale said the company could not comment on a pending lawsuit.
Ryan Harney said his mother, now 81, has been moved to a different home.
He said he is suing Brookdale to prevent future incidents.
”You pay this exorbitant amount of money every month,” said Ryan Harney, “Get assurances that they're going to take good care of your loved one. And in my case, it felt it, it just tanked.”