State worker charged in Minn. group-home drowning

A former state worker has been charged with manslaughter in the August drowning of a blind, quadriplegic man at a state-owned group home in Isanti County.

Prosecutors have charged Devra C. Stiles, 62, of Pine City, in the death of Gerald Hyska, 56, at the group home in Braham, about 60 miles north of Minneapolis. Stiles was arrested Thursday and was scheduled to appear in court Friday.

A criminal complaint alleges Stiles was bathing Hyska on Aug. 28 when she left him to answer a phone call from her son. She later told investigators she forgot about Hyska, and when she ran back to the tub she found him submerged.

She pulled Hyska, who could not speak, out of the tub and began CPR. She called 911 and police and paramedics arrived minutes later. A police officer at the scene reported that while Stiles performed CPR she said, "I'm sorry Gerald. I'm sorry," according to the complaint.

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Hyska died shortly after being taken to a local hospital. An autopsy later confirmed he had drowned.

Records show Stiles spoke on the telephone for about six minutes then another 30 minutes elapsed before she called 911, prosecutors said.

No attorney was listed for Stiles in court records Friday. Her husband, Tom Stiles, has told the Star Tribune his wife was a 37-year state employee with an excellent work record and answering the phone was part of her job.

Stiles described his wife as a compassionate person and said Hyska's death was "like losing a child to her."

Minnesota Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson told the Star Tribune she was "horrified" by details contained in the criminal complaint.

"It's a tragic, tragic situation," said Jesson, who with Gov. Mark Dayton sent a condolence letter to Hyska's elderly mother.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)