Life on the line: Caring for Ray-Ray
Connie West was working at a school attended by children living at LifeLine facilities when she met an eight-year-old named Raykwan. Four years later she adopted the disabled boy, who has cerebral palsy and several other maladies; she said he and other residents did not receive adequate attention. West changed his name to Ray Lewis West, after the Ravens’ star, “because he needed a strong name to get through this,” she said.
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- Maribeth Donohue is a guardian for a 19-year-old Lifeline resident named David, who had to be taken out of Lifeline’s care due to the bed sores he developed while living at the company’s Laurel facility. Maribeth reported David’s conditions and the state acted immediately and are now revoking Lifeline’s license due mainly to her complaint. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)
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- Ray Lewis West is a 16-year-old foster child with Cerebral Palsy who lived at the Lifeline group home for more than a decade. His adopted mother took him in two years ago when doctors gave him six to 12 months to live. She blames Lifeline for failing to provide Ray the care he needed to avoid severe scoliosis that has left his lungs too compromised for the surgery he would need to be able to sit up straight. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)
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- Rachel Orem a home and hospital teacher, comes to Ray’s house three times a week to work with Ray on math, language arts, science and social studies. Ray Lewis West is a 16-year-old foster child with Cerebral Palsy who lived at the Lifeline group home for more than a decade. His adopted mother took him in two years ago when doctors gave him six to 12 months to live. She blames Lifeline for failing to provide Ray the care he needed to avoid severe scoliosis that has left his lungs too compromised for the surgery he would need to be able to sit up straight. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)
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- Ray Lewis West is a 16-year-old foster child with Cerebral Palsy who lived at the Lifeline group home for more than a decade. His adopted mother took him in two years ago when doctors gave him six to 12 months to live. She blames Lifeline for failing to provide Ray the care he needed to avoid severe scoliosis that has left his lungs too compromised for the surgery he would need to be able to sit up straight. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)
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- Rachel Orem a home and hospital teacher, comes to Ray’s house three times a week to work with Ray on math, language arts, science and social studies. Ray Lewis West is a 16-year-old foster child with Cerebral Palsy who lived at the Lifeline group home for more than a decade. His adopted mother took him in two years ago when doctors gave him six to 12 months to live. She blames Lifeline for failing to provide Ray the care he needed to avoid severe scoliosis that has left his lungs too compromised for the surgery he would need to be able to sit up straight. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)
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- Jody Staley a nurse with Gilchrist Kids visits Ray two times a week to check on his health. Ray Lewis West is a 16-year-old foster child with Cerebral Palsy who lived at the Lifeline group home for more than a decade. His adopted mother took him in two years ago when doctors gave him six to 12 months to live. She blames Lifeline for failing to provide Ray the care he needed to avoid severe scoliosis that has left his lungs too compromised for the surgery he would need to be able to sit up straight. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)
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- Connie West holds the hand of her adopted son, Ray Lewis West who is a 16-year-old foster child with Cerebral Palsy who lived at the Lifeline group home for more than a decade. Connie and her husband, David took him in two years ago when doctors gave him six to 12 months to live. She blames Lifeline for failing to provide Ray the care he needed to avoid severe scoliosis that has left his lungs too compromised for the surgery he would need to be able to sit up straight. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)
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- Connie West sings to her adopted son, Ray Lewis West who is a 16-year-old foster child with Cerebral Palsy who lived at the Lifeline group home for more than a decade. Connie and her husband, David took him in two years ago when doctors gave him six to 12 months to live. She blames Lifeline for failing to provide Ray the care he needed to avoid severe scoliosis that has left his lungs too compromised for the surgery he would need to be able to sit up straight. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)
A two-month investigation by The Baltimore Sun found that Lifeline has struggled to provide around-the-clock care to some of the state’s most vulnerable disabled foster children and that Maryland regulators often were unaware of serious problems — even as the company was taking in millions in state funds.
Such issues have mounted in recent years at Lifeline: its founder and CEO was imprisoned, the state disciplined it for inadequate care after the death of two adult residents and it was burdened by tax liens and other debts. But that did not disrupt the flow of state money. Maryland has awarded the company nearly $19 million in taxpayer-funded contracts since 2010 to care for juveniles who often are confined to a bed or wheelchair by paralysis, cerebral palsy and other disabilities.
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