Alleged victims in DaVita case tell their story

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Alleged victims in DaVita case tell their story

Posted: April 2, 2009 05:18 PM

By Holley Nees - bio | email

LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - Wednesday authorities arrested a former DaVita Dialysis employee on Capital Murder and Aggravated Assault charges.   Kimberly Saenz voluntarily turned herself in after being indicted.

"It's kind of hard to understand what happened and how she...could've done that because he was the love of everybody," said LaFrances Kelley, a widow of an alleged DaVita victim.

Mr. Kelley was a football fanatic, father of three, and a DaVita Dialysis patient.

"I knew Mr. Kelley he came in early with me...he was a sweet man," said Carolyn Risinger, an alleged DaVita victim.

Carolyn has been on dialysis for 13 years, so it stood out when something did not feel right.

"It started out with a pressure on my chest, it felt like somebody was pushing on me and then my stomach started a severe hurt," she explained.

She said what was believed to be bleach left her drifting in and out of consciousness.

"It turned into a nightmare...and so many had died I thought well, this is my turn," she said.

So many, like Mr. Kelley.

"You don't go in there expecting to be up dancing or [anything,] but you'd like to see them still be alive," said Carolyn's husband Jim Risinger.

However, Jim and Carolyn are not sure if they blame the woman indicted for allegedly killing five patients.

"The only time I had her, she tried to help me," Carolyn said.

She thinks the fault lies with more than a single person.

She said, "Davita was such a rat hole that I said they're using her as a scapegoat."

Regardless, LaFrances holds her head and her faith high.

"I forgive her and I love her even still, inspite of what happened because whatever happened God does it for good.  It's not for us to even know and understand sometimes," LaFrances said.

For the widowed mother of three girls and several grandchildren, she read, "Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes..."

The East Texas News contacted DaVita and they told us to refer to the statement they released Wednesday.  It said, "Our patients and their caregivers have been outraged at how the alleged actions of one person have caused so much pain and trauma to so many."

To read DaVita's full statement or the indictment go to the Big Red Box http://www.ktre.com/Global/category.asp?C=122307

http://www.ktre.com/Global/story.asp?S=10122386&nav=2FH5