NYC woman sues Harlem nursing home after dad dies from coronavirus

A Manhattan woman says her dad died from coronavirus in a Harlem nursing home because it failed to implement basic health guidelines including not stopping loved ones from visiting the facility until the day after her father’s death, according to a new wrongful death lawsuit.

Kim Williams says her dad William Oliver died March 15 from COVID-19 while staying at Northern Manhattan Rehabilitation Center because of gross negligence and medical malpractice by the facility and its staff, according to a Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit filed Monday.

The 78-year-old father’s “gruesome and agonizing pain and suffering and death was precipitated by the defendants,” the court papers charge.

As of May 20, the East 125th Street facility has had 11 confirmed and 12 presumed coronavirus deaths, the suit alleges.

The disease spread there because workers were “infected with and contracted COVID-19 while caring for patients,” the court filings claim.

The home, “failed to take the proper steps to protect the residents and/or patients at their facilities from the COVID-19 virus,” by not implementing basic health guidelines, the court documents say.

For example, Williams claims the home only “first closed its doors to visitors on or about March 16” — the day after her dad’s death.

Williams also accuses the home of failing to put into place other measures including separating residents, enforcing social distancing among staff and residents, stopping group activities, having residents and staff wear masks, staffing appropriately and screening people who came into the building for the virus.

Williams’ lawyer, Joseph Ciaccio, told The Post, “Many families have been left in the dark about what has happened to their loved ones over the past couple of months.

“While this pandemic has understandably been a tremendous challenge for those in healthcare, some nursing homes appear to have been woefully unprepared.”

The lawsuit — which is seeking unspecified damages — was filed on the first day that courts reopened to new non-emergency cases after a moratorium began in late March.

Northern Manhattan Rehabilitation Center did not immediately return requests for comment.