Ed Godfrey
03/30/2000
A Choctaw Living Center resident whose body was not discovered for six days died of natural causes, the state medical examiner ruled.
Victoria Piakitah, 48, died from a seizure, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday.
Other records identify her as Victoria Pepiakitah.
Piakitah had a history of seizures, the report states.
Her body went undiscovered for six days by Choctaw Living Center staff. She was found in her room between the bed and dresser.
The Choctaw Living Center was fined $10,000 by the state Health Department for not finding the body sooner.
The department had sought a $50,000 fine.
Department officials thought they could fine the center $10,000 for each day the body was not found, said Brent Van Meter, deputy department commissioner.
Choctaw Living Center officials argued at an administrative hearing that state law only allowed a maximum fine of $10,000 per incident.
The health department agreed, Van Meter said.
Nursing home staff thought Piakitah was with her family, he said.
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