Delaware
What we know about man who fatally beat Delaware assisted living facility resident
Why Delaware struggles to investigate long-term care facilities
Delaware has struggled for about a decade to investigate long-term care complaints – particularly for assisted living facilities.
Wochit
On the night of Aug. 5, 83-year-old Shyuan Hsia was fatally beaten at The Summit Assisted Living in North Star, where she had resided since 2020.
A resident who lived across the hall from Hsia in the facility’s memory care unit left her bleeding and unconscious on the floor of her room, according to medical records, police reports and a state health investigation. Delaware Online/The News Journal is not identifying the man because he has not been charged due to his severe dementia.
Records obtained by Delaware Online/The News Journal, as well as interviews with Hsia’s family, show that the assailant had been aggressive before − both with staff and other residents.
As a result, Hsia’s family has been left wondering why the man remained at The Summit.
This is what we know about the assailant.
How long had he been a resident at The Summit?
The assailant was admitted on Sept. 18, 2023, state health inspection records show. He was diagnosed with dementia and other ailments.
When had he previously been aggressive?
According to the state investigation, the assailant was seen by a psychiatrist on May 3 for medication management. He had been taking several Alzheimer’s medications but was suffering from “increased aggression.”
Staff reported he had been yelling at them and “getting (in)” their faces. It’s unclear whether his medication was adjusted, though it doesn’t appear any medications were added.
When did he first attack someone?
Two months after that visit to the psychiatrist, on July 15, the state received a report that the man had entered another resident’s room and was hitting him in the stomach and legs. Facility staff noted a bruise on the resident’s arm as a result.
Following the assault, The Summit ordered a psychiatric consult for the man, where he underwent a dementia evaluation and his medication was increased. Staff also monitored and documented his behavior for nine shifts.
“No additional behaviors” were noted, inspection documents said.
About two weeks later, on July 31 − five days before the attack − the man was again seen by a psychiatrist. This was for “breakthrough aggression” and irritability, documents show.
The assailant was “still acting out at times,” staff wrote.
Seroquel, an antipsychotic often used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder but that also can be used for agitation due to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, was added on an as-needed basis.
Another attack the same night Shyuan Hsia beaten
Less than a week later, the same night he attacked Hsia, the man was found punching another resident in her room.
He was found quickly and taken to his room, where he “became combative” with staff.
“Once a moment of calmness happened,” the man was given Seroquel, the progress note stated. He was then monitored and helped into his pajamas until he was calm.
A note in his file from that night said he was to be placed on one-on-one supervision.
He remained at The Summit for more than a week after the attack before being transferred to a different facility. He has not returned.
Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com. For all things breaking news, follow her on X at @izzihughes_
What is Delaware’s Kalmar Nyckel ship?
Here’s the history of Delaware’s Kalmar Nyckel ship explained in 36 seconds.
The Delaware history column features excerpts from The News Journal archives including The Morning News and The Evening Journal. See the archives at delawareonline.com.
100 years ago, The Evening Journal, June 21, 1926
Jealous man kills woman, wounds boy
Oliver K. Higgins, aged 33 years, of Washington Street, in a fit of jealousy late Saturday night, is alleged to have pumped seven bullets from an automatic revolver into Mrs. Edna M. Martin, 40 years old, of Spruce Street, killing her.
Charles Brown, the 15-year-old of Mrs. Gladys Brown, was shot in the jaw and shoulder by Higgins but will recover. Mrs. Brown, also of the Spruce Street address, is the sister of the slain woman. …
Mrs. Martin, who was employed by the Home Baking Company on Market Street, left the store at a late hour Saturday night, accompanied by Paul A. Crawford of Marshallton and went home. They found Mrs. Brown sitting in the dining room with Julius K. Bowman of Newport.
The women and men sat around the table for a short time. At 11:45 o’clock, hearing someone taking out a window screen in the parlor, Mrs. Brown went to the hall to see what caused the noise.
She saw Higgins step in the window with a gun in his hand. She opened the door and ran off the porch.
Higgins failed to see Mrs. Brown and continued to the dining room where Mrs. Martin and the two men were sitting. He leveled the revolver at their heads and said, “Stick your hands up everybody, and I don’t mean maybe.”
Higgins then asked for Mrs. Brown. Learning she had gone out the front door, he ran after her, passing her as she crouched behind a hedge a few feet from the doorway. He returned to the dining room, but the men had fled. He then turned to Mrs. Martin and fired as she ran. …
Leaving the dead woman at the head of the steps, Higgins rushed in the back room in search of Mrs. Brown. Charles Brown, who had been sleeping, awoke because of the noise. …
Hearing the boy going down the stairs, Higgins stepped to the stair rail and shot him twice. …
Mrs. Brown went to the drug store of Otto H. Miller at 22nd and Pine streets to telephone police. …
Officers surrounded the Brown house … and arrested Higgins. …
Higgins met Mrs. Brown several months ago when he was in the employ of the United Cigar Store, and Mrs. Brown was working nearby. He is said to have become jealous over the attention of other men to Mrs. Brown, who is divorced. She asked him to stop annoying her and appealed to police.
After Higgins threatened Mrs. Brown with a gun, she told her employer who called the United Cigar Company and made a complaint to the manager. Shortly after this, Higgins was discharged.
50 years ago, The Morning News, June 23, 1976
Bill would jail parents of delinquent kids
A tough measure that provides for jailing the parents of delinquent children or requiring them to spend weekends with delinquents at juvenile detention centers has been introduced in the Delaware Senate.
The bill is the brainchild of the community-based services staff of the juvenile corrections bureau.
“This gives a way to coax them (the parents),” said John J. Mulvena, juvenile corrections chief. “If not to coax them, to require them. If not require them, jail them.”
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Herman Holloway Sr., D-Wilmington.
Mulvena said it is “directed at parents who are reluctant to participate in the responsible supervision of their children.”
He said due to “stubbornness, ignorance or neglect,” his staff often ends up acting as “mother, father, aunt, uncle or surrogate” for children “while the parents get off scot-free.”
20 years ago, The News Journal, June 26, 2006
Storms wallop Sussex with 6-8 inches of rain
Jack English knew he was in trouble early Sunday morning.
He kept waking up to the sound of his Seaford basement sump pump trying to keep up with the downpour outside….
At first, he found a few inches of water on his basement floor. Then, all of a sudden, his backyard was completely flooded and the rising water blew out his basement window. …
“I was evacuated by the fire department,” he said. …
In six to eight hours, 7 inches fell in Bridgeville, more than 8 inches in Georgetown and nearly 6 inches in Laurel….
The Seaford Fire Company had its first sign of trouble at 7:30 a.m., when a crew responded to a person trapped in a car by rising water. As the morning went on, rescue crews turned to boats.
An estimated 300 people were evacuated from homes at three mobile home parks southeast of Blades.
Meanwhile, in Seaford, concern grew as water levels rose in the Nanticoke River and Williams Pond. As a precaution, 110 residents of Lifecare at Lofland Park rehabilitation center were evacuated to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital. …
At the Seaford Walmart, a team of swift water rescuers from Salisbury, Maryland helped people trapped in the parking lot, with water up to the top of some cars. …
Bridges at Craigs Mill Road and Woodland Road washed out. …
The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Woodbridge High School in Bridgeville. About 30 people were staying there Sunday night.
Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.
DELAWARE COUNTY, Ind. — All lanes closed on I-69 in the southbound direction in Delaware County on Friday morning.
Authorities with the Indiana State Police were dispatched to the 240.5 mile marker on a report of a crash involving a semi at approximately 8:08 a.m.
All lanes are now open.
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