HOLYOKE — Trustees at the Soldiers’ Home have hired a lawyer as coronavirus deaths in the facility have reached at least 55.
The board of trustees approved the hiring of John Bagley, a lawyer from the firm Morrison Mahoney, at their Monday meeting. The decision comes as the facility faces four separate investigations amid the COVID-19 outbreak that began last month. The state announced Wednesday that 66 residents have died in the Soldiers’ Home since March 25, 55 of whom have tested positive.
Of the 210 veterans residents in the facility, 75% have now tested positive for COVID-19. Another 7 veteran residents have pending tests, and 81 employees have also tested positive for the virus.
Gov. Charlie Baker has hired a former federal prosecutor to investigate the circumstances that led to the deadly outbreak, and has placed Superintendent Bennett Walsh on paid leave. Federal prosecutors, the state attorney general, and state lawmakers have also launched their own probes.
Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.