Attorney General Bonta Announces Arrest and Felony Charges Against Healthcare Administrator for Alleged Elder Abuse in Southern California

SAN DIEGO - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the arrest and filing of felony charges against Maria Erolina Delgado for alleged severe neglect of residents at J & M Happy Guest Home, a residential care facility for the elderly in San Diego County.

"Our elders deserve care that is safe, dignified, and consistently held to the highest standards. When those entrusted with the care of elderly residents fail to live up to these standards and put Californians in harm's way - we take action," said Attorney General Bonta. "At the California Department of Justice, we are committed to standing against any form of elder abuse or neglect, and we will take immediate action to hold accountable those who exploit or harm these vulnerable individuals."

A felony complaint has been filed in San Diego Superior Court, charging Erolina Delgado with multiple counts of felony elder abuse of residents at J & M Happy Guest Home, a residential care facility for the elderly. Delgado is the owner of J & M and left the facility severely understaffed, often leaving residents in bed all day in soiled diapers, sometimes for days at a time. As a result of this neglect, multiple residents suffered from bed sores, dehydration, and malnourishment.

The California Department of Justice's Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA) works to protect Californians by investigating and prosecuting those responsible for abuse and neglect of elderly and dependent adults and those who perpetrate fraud on the Medi-Cal program.

The Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $69,244,976 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2025. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the State of California. FY 2025 is from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025.

A copy of the complaint can be found here.

It is important to note that criminal charges must be proven in a court of law. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.