US News

CARE AIDES IN CHOKING DEATH ARE SUSPENDED

Three aides have been suspended for their role in the death of a mentally disabled man, who witnesses said choked while his oblivious caregivers listened to music during a van trip.

Meanwhile, the family of Steven Garofalo, 45, says it will sue the agency that employed the aides.

Garofalo died last month returning from a trip to the movies with seven other disabled people.

The three aides in charge of the trip didn’t realize Garofalo had died until about 15 minutes after arriving at a St. Albans, Queens, school run by the Association for the Advancement of the Blind and Retarded.

An AABR lawyer said the three were suspended with pay just days after the incident and could be fired pending the results of an internal investigation.

“We have not established that there is fault,” said attorney George Shebitz.

Garofalo was known to have trouble swallowing and was supposed to be watched when he was eating, say family members.

The three aides, however, sat in the front of the van listening to the radio after handing out turkey-and-cheese sandwiches to Garofalo and the others, sources said. Police and the Queens DA are awaiting a medical examiner’s report before moving forward with any investigation.

Garofalo’s family was happy to hear of the suspensions.

“They had it coming,” said Garofalo’s sister, Linda Wilson. “I’m happy to hear something is being done … but nothing is going to bring back my brother.”

Garofalo’s mother, Isabel, was disappointed the news of the suspensions hadn’t come from AABR.

“I haven’t heard anything from AABR,” she said. “I feel like it makes them look even guiltier.”

The family’s attorney said a lawsuit against the private nonprofit will be filed as soon as the medical examiner’s report is complete.