Coronavirus: in Mougins, an investigation opened after a wave of deaths in an Ehpad

37 out of 109 residents "died following a suspicion of Covid-19 " since the start of the epidemic, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office in Grasse published on Monday. The responsibility for this terrible assessment that strikes the La Riviera Mougins nursing home in the Alpes-Maritimes has been at the heart of questions for the past few weeks.

Read also: In Mougins, the wave of deaths at the retirement home takes a legal turn

Several bereaved families filed a complaint against X Monday, April 2, for " endangering the lives of others " in this establishment of the Korian group. Relatives of the victims express doubts about the proper management of the epidemic in the retirement home. The Regional Health Agency (ARS) had already opened, in March, an investigation to determine the cause of the deaths, from which it appears that these deaths are actually linked to the coronavirus.

The town of Mougins civil party alongside families

Upon receipt of the complaint, " the prosecution then opened an investigation into the counts of manslaughter and failure to assist people in danger, " said the prosecutor's office in Grasse earlier this week. As the days went by, other families of victims came forward and complaints continued to accumulate. “ Four complaints were lodged between April 2 and 10 with the gendarmerie services. On April 15, 2020, a collective complaint concerning four families also arrived by mail , ”explains Fabienne Atzori, prosecutor of the Republic of Grasse.

Read also: "Residents and families were in tears": a director of Ehpad tells the return of visits

The parquet of Grasse was also seized by the town hall of Mougins on April 14th. Fabienne Atzori specifies that the current investigation aims in particular to " identify possible breaches of security and prudence obligations " and " to establish a relationship with the deaths observed ".

The mayor of Mougins, Richard Galy (LR), announced that the city is filing a civil action alongside the families. " With them, I demand that all the light be shed on this human drama so that our parents will never again be taken away in such inhuman conditions ", wrote this general practitioner by profession in a press release dated April 10.

Family lawyer denounces " the law of silence "

The lawyer for the bereaved families, Maître Fabien Arakelian, denounces " the law of silence " which would reign within the Korian group, manager of the establishment. European leader in support and senior care services, Korian has 64 establishments in France. The group denies any breach of the rules in force. The manager of the establishment returned the ball to the ARS which, according to him, had "been slow to take stock of the situation ".

Read also: Sophie Boissard: "We cannot inflict a longer separation on our seniors"

The retirement home in Mougins claims to have notified all the families by telephone the day after the detection of the first cases of Covid-19 on the evening of March 15. The spokesperson for the Ehpad also ensures that everything is done to protect the health of staff and residents.