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Department of
SOCIAL SERVICES

Community Care Licensing


COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT

Facility Number: 198320513
Report Date: 08/15/2025
Date Signed: 08/15/2025 12:54:13 PM

Substantiated


STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
EL SEGUNDO ASC, 400 CONTINENTAL BLVD, STE 340
EL SEGUNDO, CA 90245
This is an official report of an unannounced visit/investigation of a complaint received in our office on
08/12/2025 and conducted by Evaluator Perry Scott
PUBLIC
COMPLAINT CONTROL NUMBER: 11-AS-20250812162730
FACILITY NAME:CASTLE HEIGHTS ASSISTED LIVINGFACILITY NUMBER:
198320513
ADMINISTRATOR:JOAQUIN, LEIAFACILITY TYPE:
740
ADDRESS:3354 CARDIFF AVETELEPHONE:
(424) 289-4241
CITY:LOS ANGELESSTATE: CAZIP CODE:
90034
CAPACITY:6CENSUS: 5DATE:
08/15/2025
UNANNOUNCEDTIME BEGAN:
10:29 AM
MET WITH:Leia JoaquinTIME COMPLETED:
01:15 PM
ALLEGATION(S):
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Due to neglect, resident was covered in ants/bugs.
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS:
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On 08/15/25, at 10:29am, the department conducted an initial complaint visit to the facility and was greeted by Leia Joaquin, Administrator. The department explained the purpose of this visit is to gather information about the complaint, gather facility files, interview staff and residents, and deliver findings for the allegations mentioned above.

The investigation consisted of the following: The department investigated the allegation mentioned in this complaint; and conducted interviews with staff (S1-S3) and residents (R1-R3) from 10:45am-12:00pm. The department received the following: Resident Roster (Dated: 06/01/2025) Personnel Report (Dated: 01/08/2025), ID/Emergency Information (Dated: 05/10/2023), Physicians Report (Dated: 02/06/2024), Appraisal and Needs Service Plan (Dated: 07/03/2025), Maintenance Service Invoice (Dated: 08/09/2025), Pictures of exterior being serviced by Pest Control, and UCLA After Visit Summary (Dated: 08/09/2025), from the facility.

Report Continued on LIC909-C
Substantiated
Estimated Days of Completion:
SUPERVISORS NAME: Janae Hammond
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Perry Scott
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 08/15/2025
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 08/15/2025
This report must be available at Child Care and Group Home facilities for public review for 3 years.
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 1 of 3
Control Number 11-AS-20250812162730
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
EL SEGUNDO ASC, 400 CONTINENTAL BLVD, STE 340
EL SEGUNDO, CA 90245
FACILITY NAME: CASTLE HEIGHTS ASSISTED LIVING
FACILITY NUMBER: 198320513
VISIT DATE: 08/15/2025
NARRATIVE
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The investigation revealed the following: Allegation- Due to neglect, resident was covered in ants/bugs.

The details of the complaint alleged that a resident was taken to the hospital due to health issues. Upon admittance, hospital workers noticed the resident to have ants and or bugs crawling on their body. When asked by hospital staff about the pests neither the resident nor staff could explain how the resident had pests on their body. On 8/15/25, from 10:45am-12:00pm, the department interviewed staff (S1-S3) and residents (R1-R3) regarding the allegation. 3 of 3 staff stated that the facility had ant activity, and the ants may have come from the outside and into the room of R1. Staff stated that they went out and bought some ant bait traps as well as sprayed the outside of the facility and in the room of R1 when they were in the hospital to eradicate the problem. S1 provided the department with an invoice of the pest service as well as pictures of the facility being serviced.

The department interviewed residents (R1-R3) about the allegation and 2 of 3 residents that were interviewed stated that they have noticed ants in the facility but that the facility had made efforts to get rid of the pests by spraying and laying down ant bait traps.

The department reviewed the Maintenance Service Invoice (Dated: 08/09/2025) and pictures of the pest control spraying the exterior of the facility. The department also toured the facility and the residents’ bedrooms and observed ant bait traps throughout the facility but did not observe any visible pests at the time of the visit.

Based on interviews conducted and records reviewed, the preponderance of evidence standard has been met. Therefore, the above allegation Due to neglect, resident was covered in ants/bugs, is found to be Substantiated. California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division (6) and chapter (8) are being cited on the attached LIC 9099D.

Note: *Citations that are not cleared by the due date of 08/15/25 will have a $100 fine assessed for each citation until it is cleared. Civil penalties will continue to accrue until Proof of Corrections (POC) is cleared. Deficiency was cleared at the time of the visit.

Deficiencies were issued and plans of corrections were discussed.


An exit interview was conducted with Leia Joaquin, Administrator, and a hard copy of this Complaint Investigation Report was provided.

SUPERVISORS NAME: Janae Hammond
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Perry Scott
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 08/15/2025
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my licensing appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 08/15/2025
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
Page: 2 of 3
Control Number 11-AS-20250812162730
STATE OF CALIFORNIA - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY

COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION REPORT (Cont)		CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNITY CARE LICENSING DIVISION
EL SEGUNDO ASC, 400 CONTINENTAL BLVD, STE 340
EL SEGUNDO, CA 90245

FACILITY NAME: CASTLE HEIGHTS ASSISTED LIVING
FACILITY NUMBER: 198320513
DEFICIENCY INFORMATION FOR THIS PAGE:
VISIT DATE: 08/15/2025
Deficiency Type
POC Due Date /
Section Number
DEFICIENCIES
PLAN OF CORRECTIONS(POCs)
Type B
08/15/2025
Section Cited
CCR
87303(a)
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87303 (a) Maintenance and Operation. The facility shall be clean, safe, sanitary and in good repair at all times. Maintenance shall include provision of maintenance services and procedures for the safety and well-being of residents, employees and visitors. This requirement was not met as evidenced by:
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Administrator has corrected the deficiency at the time of visit. The facility laid out bait traps and sprayed while R1 was in the hospital. The facility has a pest control company, Jasper Pest Control, that comes out as needed to treat the facility. The administrator printed out the invoice and pictures of the correction at the time of the visit.
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Based on interviews and records reviewed, the facility has confirmed that there was pest activity (ants) in room #2. Which led to the resident (R1) having ants on their body when they went to the hospital on 08/09/25. This violation poses a potential health and safety or personal rights risk to residents in care.
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Failure to correct the cited deficiency(ies), on or before the Plan of Correction (POC) due date, may result in a civil penalty assessment.
SUPERVISORS NAME: Janae Hammond
LICENSING EVALUATOR NAME: Perry Scott
LICENSING EVALUATOR SIGNATURE:

DATE: 08/15/2025
I acknowledge receipt of this form and understand my appeal rights as explained and received.
FACILITY REPRESENTATIVE SIGNATURE:

DATE: 08/15/2025
LIC9099 (FAS) - (06/04)
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