Man says his wound became 'infested' with maggots at Henrico nursing home: 'Not acceptable'

WARNING: This story contains material some viewers may find disturbing due to its graphic content. Reader discretion is advised.

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A resident at a Henrico nursing home is sounding the alarm about a disturbing discovery that has drawn involvement from multiple investigative agencies and has caused him to feel unsafe and uncomfortable at the facility.

Maurice White said he was admitted to Parham Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in March following a foot surgery, and he does not hold back in criticizing the conditions.

"It's terrible," he said. "It's not fit for man or animal."

But he said his dissatisfaction escalated on July 11.

“I got a pain in my foot, which I haven't had even after the surgery. It was a sharp pain, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, it's hurting,'" White said.

WTVR

Three days later on July 14, when he said a nurse came by to perform wound care on his foot, he recalled a frightening observation.

“And when she cut the bandages off, I seen the young lady when she jumped. I said, ‘What's wrong?’ She said, ‘Oh my God.’ I said, ‘What?’ She said, ‘They're maggots,'" he said. "They look like somebody had a cup full of elbow macaroni miniature and dropped it on the floor."

Facility medical records from that day, which White provided to CBS 6, identified "gnat larvae" in his wound.

The records stated, “While unwrapping dressing from left leg, writer observed blood dripping from left heel and soon as the last part of bandage was removed, gnat larvae was observed falling out of wound bed.”

“My foot was infested, infestation. Maggots was just coming out of both wounds," White said. "I lost my mind. I still haven't slept. I don't go to sleep. I can't eat spaghetti, rice and nothing that looks like that."

WTVR

Facility medical notes indicated that staff then cleaned the wound and encouraged White to go to the emergency room. The records stated that at first he refused, but later agreed to be transported.

White said when he got to the hospital, the doctor was troubled by what he saw.

“He said, ‘No, this is not acceptable.’ And he said he was calling Adult Protective Services," White said.

Adult Protective Services would later reach out to Henrico Police about the case, and police said it has been assigned to a detective for further investigation.

Henrico Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor told CBS 6 her office also has an open investigation into the matter.

White said he is now receiving daily wound care, but he alleges there were days prior to the incident when it did not occur as scheduled.

Staff reported in White's medical notes on July 14, which was a Monday, that wound care was done "per order" on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On that Friday, staff reported there were "no larvae present."

White further believes the presence of bugs in the facility, including flies, gnats, ants, and cockroaches, along with inadequate air conditioning, may have contributed to the incident.

WTVR

A state inspection in April described multiple complaints of pests, including roaches and ants in the building and a chiller that was "not functioning properly." Inspectors reported email communications in April 2025 between the regional director of physical plants and corporate offices showed the chiller project, which began in 2023, "remains unresolved despite a significant financial investment."

The facility submitted a corrective action plan in response to the inspection findings that noted it was making repairs to the cooling system and utilizing pest control services.

When asked for a response to White's concerns, Parham Healthcare and Rehab spokesperson Mindie Barnett said, “Our community and every caregiver have dedicated ourselves to providing high quality care and services. We actively solicit complaints so we may address issues which arise. We appreciate positive and negative comments and are fully investigating and addressing the concerns raised.”

CBS 6 requested more specific information as to how White's wound ended up in that condition, but Barnett said the facility did not have anything further to add at this time.

Parham has a 1-star overall quality rating with staffing levels reported to be much below average, according to Medicare.

WTVR

While a sign outside the building indicates an association with the Medical Facilities of America chain, whose nursing homes were acquired in 2021 by a New Jersey-based company, according to the state health department, Barnett said the facility is independently owned and operated.

"It is managed by a licensed nursing home administrator, supported by department leaders and staff across all service areas. Numerous third-party vendors also provide rehabilitation, administrative, and support services; however, these vendors are contracted service providers or consultants and are not owners or operators of the facility," Barnett said.

White said he is now on several antibiotics to combat infections stemming from the incident with his wound.

He said he has left reports with multiple oversight agencies including the Long-Term Care Ombudsman's Office and the Virginia Department of Health and is seeking accountability for what he said happened to him.

“It’s terrible Mr. Layne, and something needs to be done about it," White said. “They really need to shut it down. These people here, and I'm not speaking just for myself, I'm speaking for those who can't speak for themselves, they really need to relocate them to a proper facility.”