A South Florida family is in shock and grief after the body of their loved one, 71-year-old Elin Etienne, was found decomposing in a storage closet at the North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Miami-Dade. The discovery was made nearly two weeks after the nursing home informed his family that he had gone missing. Now, the family is demanding answers and justice, raising serious concerns about the care and attention provided by the facility.
The tragedy came to light when Rivly Breus, Etienne’s niece, spoke out on Tuesday, expressing the family’s frustration and sorrow. “We want to know what the cause of death was and why he died in a closet—or if he died in a closet,” Breus told CBS News Miami. “It’s troubling to think that he was decomposing in that closet for two weeks, potentially putting other residents at risk. Our questions are not being answered because the staff won’t speak with us.”
The family’s anguish is compounded by the fact that Etienne’s body was reportedly so decomposed that the coroner has been unable to positively identify him without dental records. Despite this, the family is convinced that the body is Etienne’s and is desperate for explanations. “We need to get some answers about what happened to Elin,” Breus said. “This is very upsetting to all of us.”
Keisha, Etienne’s only grandchild, was particularly close to him, describing their bond as one of a kind. “Everybody knows my grandpa loved me. I was his soft spot, his baby, his princess,” she said, holding back tears. “He didn’t deserve this, and it hurts even more that the nursing home won’t give us any answers.”
Etienne’s family described him as a lively, confident man with a feisty personality. Originally from Haiti, he had migrated to the United States over 30 years ago, becoming a chef and helping relatives achieve their American dreams. However, his health had declined in recent years after suffering two strokes, developing dementia, and an aneurysm that affected his mobility and cognitive functions. Hoping for rehabilitation, his family sent him to the nursing home, believing he
