83-year-old man found dead in walk-in freezer at Trinity assisted living facility: 'We need answers'

TRINITY, Fla. - A family in the Tampa Bay area is outraged after an 83-year-old man was found dead in the walk-in freezer of an assisted living facility.

William Eugene Ray, 83, also known as 'Gene,' was living at The Waverly Assisted Living and Memory Care in Trinity. About two weeks ago, though, his family said he went missing from his room and was found in a walk-in freezer.

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His family is demanding answers about how this happened.

What they're saying:

Kristen Spencer said her father, Gene, was a calm, funny and supportive husband and father to his two adult children. She said her father loved playing the harmonica.

"He was funny," Spencer said. "He was artistic, very creative, always happy, always smiling, friendly to everyone."

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Gene was a proud 36-year veteran of the U.S. Navy.

"He, you know, never raised his voice," Spencer said. "He was just so hardworking. You know, his work ethic was incredible."

Spencer said her father was still physically active, but had started to show signs of dementia.

"Mentally, the dementia, you know, it was just progressing," she said.

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In May, Gene's family made the difficult decision to move him into The Waverly, to get him the level of care he needed.

"There was no issues right at the beginning," Spencer said. "As time progressed, though, you see, when you're there all the time, you see things, and so you see these little things that start to send up concerns."

What we know:

Among the concerns his family had were concerns about staffing at the facility.

"You put your loved one in there with trust," she said.

Spencer installed a Ring camera in her father's room to keep an eye on him when she couldn't be there. In recent weeks leading up to his death, she noticed her father seemed more confused. One night about two weeks ago, Spencer noticed he was acting abnormally.

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"I woke up the next morning and when I looked at the Ring camera, the light was on, and he was not in his room," she said.

In a panic, Spencer called her mother, then called The Waverly to alert staff and raced to the facility. She said more time passed, until a staff member told them they had found Gene.

"But then the next words out of her mouth was, 'He's in the freezer,'" Spencer said. "And I said, 'What do you mean he's in the freezer?'"

Spencer said her father was found in a walk-in freezer in the facility. The Pasco Sheriff's Office said it responded to the facility at around 8 a.m. Pasco County Fire Rescue responded and transported him for medical treatment, where he was pronounced dead.

The sheriff's office said preliminary information shows the incident was accidental and that no foul play is suspected.

Dig deeper:

According to state records, Wellness Center of Trinity LLC is the owner and licensee of The Waverly, and has been since 2018.

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"We need answers, we need answers," Spencer said. "How could this happen?"

Spencer said she went back and reviewed the Ring camera footage, and saw her dad get out of bed and leave his room around 12:30 a.m. Which was hours before he was found.

"If we had not called the facility, when would they have found them?" she said.

Gene's family wants to see action taken to improve safety measures at the facility, and to make sure this never happens again.

"That no other family will have to endure what my family has endured," Spencer said. "Basic safety measures not in place. When you have vulnerable people in a place, you have to secure these areas."

The other side:

FOX 13 reached out to The Waverly, and a spokesman shared the following statement:

"The Waverly Assisted Living & Memory Care is aware of a recent report regarding an incident at our community. Out of respect for privacy and in compliance with regulatory guidelines, we are unable to share specific details nor will comment on the cognitive levels of any individual resident. However, we cannot accept a false narrative being pressed upon our residents and their families. When unmoderated, anonymous, non-factual reviews go unchecked they become perception. That perception undermines how hard every member of The Waverly family works to provide quality of life, enjoyment, and a wonderful place to call home.  

The safety, dignity, and well-being of our residents is — and always will be — our highest priority. We have never experienced an incident of this nature in the many years of operating in the Assisted Living space. Our community is deeply saddened by this heartbreaking loss. The grief felt by our entire staff is indescribable. We are truly proud of our staff’s profound and immediate response to the situation and grateful for their continued compassion, dedication and professionalism. We remain confident in the high level of service, comfort, and care we provide our residents as one of the premier assisted living and memory care communities in Florida.

So there is no room for misinterpretation, we have and shall remain in complete compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. The general public will be surprised in the future when certain aspects are appropriate for discussion in public forum. 

Residents in our Assisted Living community of the Waverly have a right to independence, and as this is their home, expect freedom in their daily lives and routines.

We remain committed to transparency, accountability, and providing the highest standard of care to those who call the Waverly home.

We extend our deepest sympathies to all those affected and reaffirm our mission to serve our residents and families with compassion, professionalism, and integrity."