By Healthcare Facilities Today

The body of a worker at a Columbia, Tenn., nursing facility wasn’t found until two days later when a co-worker at the nursing facility discovered his body.

Larry Dobbins, 59, is believed to have died Jan. 10 at NHC HealthCare Columbia, according to an article on The Daily Herald website.

Detectives said Dobbins punched out from work around 1 p.m. that Friday. A work friend told police she talked with Dobbins at about 2:30 p.m. Nobody saw him again until Sunday morning, when a co-worker tried to get into the bathroom to empty the trash, the article said.

Dobbins’ wife said the details surrounding her husband’s death have been difficult to comprehend, considering Larry Dobbins worked at a health care facility, according to the article.

“I couldn’t believe it. They found him on the third day. It means they didn’t do their job and they didn’t clean the place,” Sarah Dobbins said in the article.

According to the report, a worker at the facility told police the bathroom had been locked when she attempted to clean it on Jan. 11, and she assumed someone was just using the bathroom and intended to check back later in the day. She was busy throughout the day and didn’t stop to check on the bathroom door until 8 a.m. on Jan. 12, only to find the door still locked.

NHC Columbia administrator Brad Rector told The Daily Herald the situation is unheard of for the facility.

“I can’t say I have had any kind of situation like this, no,” Rector said in the article, acknowledging it was strange for a bathroom intended for public use to have remained locked for two days.

“I certainly understand the question in terms of the investigation,” Rector said. “(The bathroom) locks, and it’s for one person. It’s not used a whole lot. It’s an unusual situation. It’s an unfortunate situation."

Investigators believe Larry Dobbins died of natural causes, the article said.

Read the article.