Elected officials ask for help at South Fulton facility where 15 died

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - Several Fulton County officials called on Georgia's governor to assist in stopping the COVID-19 deaths at Arbor Terrace at Cascade Assisted Living Facility.

"We are calling on the governor, the Fulton County Board of Health, the president, Dr. Fauci, anyone to provide help and assistance," masked Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington exclaimed.

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Senior care facilites remain coronavirus hot spot

COVID-19 outbreak at South Fulton Senior Care facility

He and others are sounding the alarm after 15 elderly residents died from COVID-19 complications at the upscale South Fulton assisted living facility. Those who gathered wore masks and stood six feet apart as they begged for the governor to intervene.

"We are calling on the governor to close it down or to do something to isolate the residents," Senator Donzella James (D-Dist. 35) asked. James said her mother lived one mile up the street and knew seven of those who died.

"The governor has power and the governor can move. The governor can make some decisions and I would ask that the governor remove these people out of this dangerous environment that they are in," Rev. Timothy McDonald exclaimed.

"This case needs to be closed and it needs to become a case study for what not to do," an angry Derrick Boazman exclaimed. Boazman is a former councilman turned community activists who said what has happened at Arbor Terrace is outrageous.

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Many from the medical community warn against moving such delicate elderly residents.

"To move out medically fragile residents does not go without risks from a medical perspective and I caution you to move so quickly with that," Dr. Kathi Earles of the Fulton County Health Department warned.

The Arbor Company sent out a letter Friday to all of the families who remain at the facility. It states the company learned of the first COVID-19 case on March 26 and had all residents tested by April 3. It acknowledges 15 deaths but makes it clear the last two deaths were Easter Sunday. About 37 residents remain at the facility, 28 are COVID-19 positive and eight are COVID-19 negative, one declined the test. Lastly, they offered to talk one on one with all the families.

It all comes to late for the Finney family. They lost their aunt, Nancy Finney, to the deadly virus.

The governor's office had a representative at the news conference. He says he will take the request under consideration.

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