Latest news with #Ditch
The Journal
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Journal
Audit into hip surgeries carried out on children to be published 'fairly imminently', says Taoiseach
THE AUDIT INTO hip surgeries carried out on children will be published 'fairly imminently' according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin. An independent review into hip surgeries in children who had developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) surgery was announced last year. Hip dysplasia is the medical term for a hip socket that doesn't fully cover the ball portion of the upper thigh bone. This allows the hip joint to become partially or completely dislocated. An anonymised sample of the hip surgeries, between 2021 and 2023, has been undertaken into operations that took place at CHI hospital sites, as well as the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh amid new claims that the Irish operation rate was five to 10 times higher than in other countries. However, opposition parties have accused the government of 'stonewalling' parents and leaving them 'in the dark' over the audit and have called for clarity on when the audit will be published. Martin told the Dáil that no one is stalling the release of the report, stating that the government is not 'hiding anything', stating that it would be published soon. The Ditch published a leaked draft of the report in March into the procedures carried out at a number of hospitals, with auditors taking a sample of surgeries and assessing whether a threshold for surgery was indicated. 'It claims that hundreds of children on whom surgery was carried out did not meet the threshold for that surgery. They were subject to unnecessary surgery,' TD Pearse Doherty told the Dáil at the time . Martin said that on the back of the leaked report, letters were sent out to parents. However, confusion as to arisen as to how many families received correspondence and why, with reports that some letters were sent to families whose children fall out of the audit period having had surgery 15 years ago. Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald said the sending out of the letter to parents is a recommendation of the report, stating that it is not 'a general letter'. Advertisement She told the Dáil it mentions the 'recall' of patients and letters have been sent to families where children had surgeries as far back as 2010. Aontú's Peadar Toíbín asked for clarity to be given as to why families outside of the audit period have been contacted. Tóibín said: 'Parents of children who underwent these surgeries are naturally in a panic this week following receipt of these letters from CHI, in some cases fifteen years after surgery, recalling their children for follow up appointments.' He said parents are now wondering if their child are part of the audit or not, and are also wondering if their child required the surgery at all. He said families in receipt of this letter need answers on why or if their children are being recalled. 'Government wants the facts here, I want the facts here,' said the Taoiseach. 'I have no interest in hiding anything, why would I… we need to find out the full facts,' he added. Last night, Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said she would order CHI and Cappagh to publish information around the number of letters it sent to families . The health minister said she thinks it is 'really important' that CHI and Cappagh confirm the number of letters they have sent, but added that the important thing is that the report 'will give us all a much better stead on the next steps that we must appropriately take'. The Taoiseach said the number of letters is not the 'key' issue here. However, he confirmed that CHI and Cappagh have been told to publish the data around the number of letters that have been sent to families. Social Democrats co-leader Cian O'Callaghan, who raised the issue with the Taoiseach, said the figure of how many letters were sent to families should be made public. Martin said when that is released, people will begin to make assertions as to what the number of letters means, stating that content of the audit is the important issue. The Taoiseach said he hoped the report would be released by the end of next week. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Felon hid dead uncle in trash can to keep stealing his vets benefits
A Missouri felon who stored his Army veteran uncle's remains in a trash can was charged this week with 11 counts of fraud and theft for illegally pocketing $650,000 in disability benefits while concealing the death for years. Department of Justice officials said Brian K. Ditch, 44, faces multiple counts of wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and theft of government property. Related, he has also been charged with illegal possession of firearms after investigators looking for his uncle found weapons in the home, in violation of his parole. Court documents said his uncle, Thomas Clubb, was a disabled veteran suffering from dementia and quadriplegia. Ditch, 44, became Clubb's primary caregiver in 2008. But investigators charged that Ditch kept his uncle locked in a garage and without proper care for years while stealing his veterans benefits checks, which totaled $9,559 a month. In addition, federal records showed Clubb was sent more than $235,000 in Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and Retirement Insurance benefits over the last 17 years. 'Instead of properly caring for his uncle, Ditch trapped him in the garage for over 24 hours at a time, forcing his uncle to sit in his own urine and feces without the ability to eat or drink,' Justice officials said in their indictment release. Investigators charged that after Clubb died in 2019, Ditch continued to pretend he was alive to keep the federal benefits checks from being halted. They said he used the money to buy exotic reptiles and fund 'lavish vacations' for himself. When local police searched Ditch's home in March, they reported finding Clubb's partially frozen body in a trash can. Family members told investigators that Ditch claimed his uncle was being cared for by a nursing home, but would not provide details where. In a statement, Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the VA Inspector General's Office said the arrest came as the result of cooperation between multiple agencies and law enforcement officials. 'VA's programs and services are established to justly compensate deserving veterans, and the VA Inspector General will bring to justice those who would defraud these programs,' he said. Prior to this investigation, Ditch was previously convicted for burglary and battery charges. He is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Friday.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Missouri man accused of concealing uncle's death, collecting $650K in benefits
ST. LOUIS – A Missouri man concealed the death of his uncle – a U.S. Army veteran – for several years and collected more than $650,000 in disability benefits, according to a newly unsealed federal indictment. Brian K. Ditch, 44, of Salem, Missouri, was indicted Wednesday on several federal felony charges, including four counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of theft of government property and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that Ditch, who was solely responsible for his uncle's care beginning in 2008, kept his uncle locked in his garage and under his control so he could fraudulently obtain his government benefits. Man claims he crashed stolen car to rid it of a demon The indictment claims that Ditch trapped his uncle in the garage for over 24 hours at a time, forcing his uncle 'to sit in his own urine and feces without the ability to eat or drink.' After his uncle's death around 2019, Ditch allegedly concealed his death and the body so he could continue to receive the money. The indictment says Ditch told relatives that he had moved his uncle into a nursing home. Ditch's uncle received nearly $10,000 a month in Disability Compensation benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, in addition to $235,000 in social security and retirement benefits since 2008. The indictment accuses Ditch of using the money to buy exotic reptiles, fund lavish vacations and enrich himself. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Salem police officers found the uncle's partially frozen body in a trash can in March, as well as three shotguns, per the indictment. 'The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General is committed to holding accountable anyone who exploits veterans or steals their VA benefits,' said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the VA OIG's Central Field Office. 'VA's programs and services are established to justly compensate deserving veterans and the VA OIG will bring to justice those who would defraud these programs.' Ditch, who has prior felony convictions, is expected to pleaded not guilty to charges in a scheduled federal court hearing Friday in St. Louis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
