Estate of Mercedes Gottschalk by Coexecutors Richard Gottschalk and Rebecca Rassler v. Pomeroy Development, Inc. D/B/A Pomeroy Care Center v. State of Iowa, Third-Party on Review From the Iowa Court of Appeal

893 N.W.2d 579
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedApril 14, 2017
Docket14–1326
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 893 N.W.2d 579 (Estate of Mercedes Gottschalk by Coexecutors Richard Gottschalk and Rebecca Rassler v. Pomeroy Development, Inc. D/B/A Pomeroy Care Center v. State of Iowa, Third-Party on Review From the Iowa Court of Appeal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Estate of Mercedes Gottschalk by Coexecutors Richard Gottschalk and Rebecca Rassler v. Pomeroy Development, Inc. D/B/A Pomeroy Care Center v. State of Iowa, Third-Party on Review From the Iowa Court of Appeal, 893 N.W.2d 579 (iowa 2017).

Opinions

WIGGINS, Justice.

A person whom the courts released from the State’s civil commitment unit for sexual offenders (CCUSO) and then recommitted to a care center attacked the estate’s decedent at the care center. The estate filed a petition against the care center and the State claiming negligence. The care center brought a third-party claim against the State for indemnity. The State filed a motion for summary judgment arguing it owed no duty of care to the estate’s decedent or the care center. The district court agreed and entered judgment for the State. The estate and the care center appealed. We transferred the case to the court of appeals. The court of appeals affirmed the district court judgment. We granted further review. On appeal, we find on the issues preserved that the State did not owe a duty of care to either the estate’s decedent or the care center. Accordingly, we affirm the decision of the court of [582]*582appeals and the judgment of the district court.

I. Background Facts and Proceedings.

Mercedes Gottschalk’s family admitted her to the Pomeroy Care Center in Pomer-oy on September 5, 2009. Thereafter, on December 8, 2010, the court civilly committed William Cubbage to the Pomeroy Care Center. Cubbage’s previous criminal and medical history is relevant to this appeal.

The State previously convicted Cubbage of “four sexually violent offenses ...: assault with intent to commit sexual abuse (in 2000), indecent contact with a child (1997 and 1991), and lascivious acts with a child (1987).” In re Det. of Cubbage, 671 N.W.2d 442, 443 (Iowa 2003). A doctor diagnosed him with pedophilia and a personality disorder not otherwise specified with antisocial and narcissistic features. Id. The doctor believed those conditions were “mental abnormalities” that “made it seriously difficult for Cubbage to control his sexually dangerous behavior.” Id. On May 21, 2002, Cubbage was adjudicated a sexually violent predator pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 299A, and the court committed him to the custody of the director of the Iowa Department of Human Services for placement at CCUSO until his “mental abnormality has so changed that he is safe to be placed in the transitional release program or discharged.”

In August 2006, while still in custody at CCUSO, a doctor diagnosed Cubbage with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type, declining mental functioning, and several physical and mental ailments. A ninety-day patient assessment at CCUSO in May 2010, indicated that the staff agreed the “best avenue for Mr. Cubbage would be to place him in secure care for the rest of his life ... pending DHS Directors approval.”

In July, Dr. Michael Ryan, a psychologist at CCUSO, prepared an annual report summarizing Cubbage’s progress, and he made recommendations regarding Cub-bage’s possible release. Based on his evaluation, Dr. Ryan determined Cubbage did not meet the criteria for transitional release, but that he “does not currently meet the definition of a sexually violent predator as described in 229A.”

On November 16, a hearing was held in Cherokee County pursuant to Iowa Code section 229.13 (2011). The district court found Cubbage seriously mentally impaired and, due to his dementia and executive dysfunction, he was a danger to himself and others. Thus, the district court ordered Cubbage placed in the Pomeroy Care Center for appropriate treatment under the care of Dr. Ted George of Pocahontas, Iowa.

Subsequently, on November 24, a state public defender acting on behalf of Cub-bage, filed a motion pursuant to Iowa Code section 229A.10 requesting the court discharge Cubbage from civil commitment. The motion provided that the director of human services, the Iowa attorney general’s office, and the Iowa public defender’s office mutually agreed Cubbage is “unable to obtain further gains from his civil commitment at CCUSO” and is “seriously mentally impaired and in need of full-time custody and care.” That same day, the district court in Des Moines County entered its order discharging Cubbage from commitment under section 229A.10 and committing him to the Pomeroy Care Center pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 229 and the Cherokee County court’s November 16 order.

Before Cubbage began residing at the Pomeroy Care Center, the administrator and director of nursing at the care center met with CCUSO staff members to discuss [583]*583Cubbage’s history as a sex offender as well as his diagnosis of pedophilia and dementia. The CCUSO staff told the care center’s administrator that it was not likely Cubbage would be a risk. The administrator was not aware the CCUSO doctors had previously opined that Cubbage was a danger to others at the time he was committed to the care center. The administrator’s understanding was that Cubbage was “being transferred because his physical condition had advanced to the point where he could no longer participate in active treatment.” The director of nursing at the care center understood that Cubbage was a “child predator,” and CCUSO staff told- her that he would be “no risk at all” to “older, folks.” The parties discussed his access to children and the care center’s ability to monitor him in the presence of children.

On August 21, 2011, an eight-year-old child visiting the care center witnessed Cubbage sexually assaulting Gottschalk. On November 18, the State transferred Cubbage from the care center to the Newton Correctional Facility.

Gottschalk sued the care center for providing her care in a reckless and négligent manner. After Gottschalk’s death, her estate substituted itself as the plaintiff. The estate also sued the State for negligence. Specifically, the estate alleged the State was negligent because (1) it had a duty to “prepare and approve a safety plan to protect the residents” of the care center after Cubbage was placed there and (2) it had a duty to “inspect and determine whether or not appropriate safety precautions were being followed by the Pomeroy Care Center.” The estate also alleged the State decreased nursing home oversight thereby “intentionally causing an unacceptable risk of injury to the residents.”

The Pomeroy Care Center brought a cross-claim alleging negligence on the part of the State for contribution and indemnity. The care center - contended the State was negligent because (1) it failed to “properly supervise and monitor.the co-resident, Cubbage, pursuant to Court Order and Iowa code chapter 229;” (2) it represented to “Defendant prior to his admission that the co-resident, Cubbage, was no longer a risk or a threat to society;” and (3) it represented to “Defendant prior to his admission that the co-resident, Cub-bage, was no longer a risk or threat to elderly victims.”

The State moved for summary judgment on the estate’s and the care center’s causes of action. The State argued that once it discharged Cubbage from CCUSO, it owed no duty of care to supervise and monitor Cubbage, to create or supervise any safety plan related to Cubbage, or to inspect the Pomeroy Care Center and follow-up with regard to safety precautions. The State also argued Iowa Code section 669.14(4) prohibits the care center from suing the State based on the State’s alleged misrepresentations concerning Cubbage’s risk to other residents in the care center.

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893 N.W.2d 579, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/estate-of-mercedes-gottschalk-by-coexecutors-richard-gottschalk-and-rebecca-iowa-2017.