Three residents of the Atria Park Senior Living Facility in San Mateo, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of San Francisco, were taken to the hospital after being served the drink Saturday morning, KRON-TV reported.
“We are working with the local authorities, who have informed us that a resident has died. Our sincere condolences go out to the family,” Atria told the station.
The facility has suspended the employees involved while it investigates, and the facility is also cooperating with authorities, the statement said.
Other details were not immediately released.
However, Marcia Cutchin told KRON-TV that the dead resident was her mother, 93-year-old Gertrude Elizabeth Murison Maxwell.
Maxwell arrived at the hospital with “severe blisters in her mouth, throat and esophagus,” Cutchin said.
Atria told the family the substance was an “alkaline cleaning solution that eats protein,” she said.
Her mother had dementia and was unable to feed herself, she said.
Maxwell leaves behind eight children and 20 grandchildren, her daughter said.
