Health chief orders removal of 6 from residential home following incident

Health Secretary Dr. Víctor Ramos Otero

By The Star Staff

Health Secretary Dr. Víctor Ramos Otero ordered the immediate removal of the six resident participants from the community home called “Brother Home in Bayamón,” a home subsidized by the agency, after officials identified an incident related to one of the inhabitants.

Brother Home serves adults with severe intellectual disabilities and operates under the supervision of the Health Department as part of the Subsidized Home Program. The incident in question, which is being evaluated by the agency’s technical and legal staff, raised serious concerns about compliance with the minimum safety and care protocols established by law and regulations.

“The well-being, dignity, and safety of every participant in our programs is our priority,” Ramos Otero said. “As soon as we were notified of the situation, response mechanisms were activated, and the preventive and urgent removal of the six participants was ordered. They were relocated to safe and appropriate environments until the investigation is completed. Department of Health officials activated the protocol and filed a complaint with the police and other relevant authorities.”

“The Department of Health has already initiated an administrative investigation and referred the case to the relevant authorities, including the Department of Family Affairs and other agencies with jurisdiction,” the official added. “The team from the ‘Services for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Section,’ led by Danniel Soto Rodríguez, is currently on site and is leading the intervention. Meanwhile, the community home will remain under review and in compliance with the due process evaluation process, in accordance with current laws and regulations.”