Woman claims hospital left her Alzheimer’s-stricken mother stranded

A woman has filed a complaint against a California hospital, claiming her 84-year-old mother — who has Alzheimer’s — was put in a taxi and left stranded outside her care facility in the middle of the night.

Costanza Zerbi, of Long Beach, said she was horrified after watching surveillance footage of her mom, Savina Genoese Zerbi, struggling to get back inside the Regency Palms assisted living facility where she lives after a cab dropped her off there at 2:15 a.m. Jan. 13, CBS reported.

Footage shows Savina in just a bathrobe and sandals pounding on a door at the facility several times as well as walking up and down a dark alley before attempting to get back inside.

Zerbi was locked out of the facility until a security guard let her in at 3 a.m.

College Medical Center claimed Savina turned down their offer to help her with transportation. They held her in the ER for an evaluation after she reportedly made threats to harm herself. College Medical Center told CBS that both a relative and the care facility were notified about Savina’s discharge.

Costanza said she filed a complaint against the hospital with the California Department of Public Health, not because she wants to sue, but because she wants the hospital to “operate in a more responsible way,” she told CNN.

Costanza said her mother never should have been left on her own.

“My mom has the cognitive abilities of a toddler,” Costanza told CBS.

“It’s like taking a child and dumping him on the street in the middle of the night — it’s insane. It’s criminal.”

Costanza had plans to meet with the hospital on Feb. 11, but eventually decided against it, CNN reported. Her mom still lives at Regency Palms.

The California Department of Public Health said they are investigating the incident but did not provide additional details, CNN reported.

A spokesperson at Regency Palms was not immediately available for comment.