ST. LOUIS (NEWSnet/AP) — The largest skilled nursing facility in St. Louis has closed, forcing about 170 residents to be bused to other care centers.

The abrupt shutdown of Northview Village Nursing Home on Dec. 15 came after workers learned they might not be paid, and walked out, confusing residents and their relatives.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services spokeswoman Lisa Cox said the agency was notified around 4:15 p.m. Dec. 15 that the nursing home was closing. The operator implemented an evacuation plan and emergency medical service workers helped relocate residents to other nursing homes, Cox said in a statement Monday.

“The final resident left the facility before 6 a.m. Saturday,” Cox said. “Our team continued working through the weekend following up with the receiving facilities to check in on the residents who had been transferred.”

Many family members gathered throughout the day Saturday outside the facility. Some weren’t certain where their loved-ones were taken.

According to the union representing workers, more than 130 people went unpaid, and it became unclear if their checks would be forthcoming.

Marvetta Harrison, 59, a certified medical technician, said workers received emails from the company over the weekend promising to receive pay, but time frame was uncertain.

Northview Village has been fined 12 times for federal violations since March 2021, according to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  The  state health department website lists nearly two dozen Northview investigations since 2016.

The most recent complaint, in February 2023, said a resident was able to get out of the building through an unsecured door. A 2021 complaint alleged the facility failed to investigate allegations that residents left the nursing home and brought drugs into it.

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