Nursing home administrator accused of elder abuse and financial exploitation

A former Iowa nursing home administrator is accused of elder abuse in civil court filings alleging she improperly took more than $32,000 from a relative who resides at the home.

No criminal charges have been filed in the case, but a judge has issued a temporary protective order against elder abuse. The order limits the administrator’s contact with the resident.

State inspection records indicate that in July 2026, the niece of a 76-year-old male resident at the Accura Healthcare of LeMars care facility filed a complaint with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing. According to state records, the niece, Janelle Scoville, reported that on March 5, 2026, she was notified by her uncle’s bank of potentially fraudulent charges to his personal account.

Inspectors allege the bank reported the charges involved checks written by the resident’s stepdaughter, identified in court records as Katrina Bruner, who was the administrator at the care facility at that time and had power of attorney over some of the resident’s affairs. Scoville also reported concerns regarding medical decisions and care that was being provided at the facility, inspectors allege.

According to the inspectors, an Adult Protective Services worker reported that while at the care facility, she informed the home’s executive director of operations of the allegations of financial exploitation by Bruner, as well as concerns that were expressed about the resident having to sleep on a couch.

The inspection report indicates Bruner stopped working at the care facility on March 30, 2026, the same day the courts issued a protective order preventing her from contacting the resident in question.

The home’s former director of nursing allegedly told state inspectors Scoville had expressed concerns regarding financial and medical decisions made by Bruner but could not recall when those conversations took place.  When asked whether the concerns should have been reported by the facility to DIAL as potential resident abuse, the former director of nursing allegedly responded, “Until something is proven, there is nothing we can do.”

In July, the home’s new administrator confirmed that the facility was required to have notified DIAL as soon as the abuse allegations were reported to the staff, inspectors allege.

Court records show that Scoville, of Dakota City, Nebraska, filed with the Plymouth County courts a petition for relief from elder abuse on March 30, 2026.

In her petition, Scoville alleged under oath that Bruner “has written $32,000 worth of checks to her children from (the resident’s) account that he didn’t authorize. She paid for her own home remodel with his money and paid for her own credit cards. She was supposed to take over payments of his new car but took the car and paid it off with his money. Is trying to sell his house. Has all his vehicles and keys. I have video of him saying he didn’t approve it.”

On March 30, Chief District Court Judge Patrick Tott approved a Temporary Protective Order Against Elder Abuse, barring Bruner from having any contact with the resident or exercising control over his finances.

On May 11, Scoville and Bruner filed a joint agreement with the court indicating Bruner, while admitting no liability in the matter, had agreed to relinquish power of attorney and any control she had over the resident’s finances and property.

“The issue of alleged financial exploitation and any claim for restitution shall be reserved and deferred for determination by the court at a later hearing,” the agreement stipulated.

The Iowa Capital Dispatch was not able to reach Bruner for comment on the case. Her attorney, Robert Brock, declined to comment on the matter.

Scoville said Friday she is still waiting for a copy of an investigative report from Adult Protective Services, adding that a criminal investigation is still ongoing.