CAYCE, S.C. — It was the call he never expected.
Robert Jamison said his brother had been staying at Twilite Manor Assisted Living for about four years with few issues when police were called in Friday and found 69-year-old Timothy Catalano, one of the residents, dead inside.
"He's kind of devastated right now, you know. It's messing with him mentally," Jamison said of his brother. "One of the police officers was like, 'well you need to, if you have a sibling here, you need to come and pick him up.'"
Cayce Police say they observed concerning living conditions and evacuated the 14 other residents to safer facilities.
"If you don't come and pick them up, they're going to go to (Emergency Protective Services)," Jamison said. "And I was like, 'why they going to EPS?' And the officer was like, 'Well, you know, far as right now it's for neglect."
According to Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher, only a housekeeper and other residents were there when the man was found.
Documents from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), which regulates the facility, show food, medication and staffing challenges have been issues in the past.
However, during a scheduled visit earlier this week, a spokesman for the agency said they found those issues had been resolved and, after speaking with residents and staff on the day of the evacuation, they didn't feel there was an immediate threat.
The agency plans to issue a report of its findings next week.
Jamison said he's waiting for answers from the facility on what options they have next.
"This right here today, it's kind of like a scare for me," Jamison said. “If it's only was one person there this morning, one person can't care for 15 … people, you know? If I have to, you know, look for other facilities to relocate him, that's probably what I'll end up doing."
News19 reached out to Twilite Manor for comment, but staff declined.
Those with a loved one at the facility are asked to call Cayce Police at 803-794-0456 to be reconnected.
