A man in long-term care in Baie Verte had photos taken of his genitals. His family wants answers

A family on Newfoundland's Baie Verte Peninsula wants answers and accountability for what happened to their loved one in hospital, after Central Health told the family someone on staff took pictures of his genitals.

Rick Barker, 64, has Huntington's disease, and his condition now requires 24-hour care in a long-term care facility — in Barker's case, the long-term care unit at the Baie Verte Peninsula Health Centre in Baie Verte.

Bernice Barker said her son received a call from the regional health authority in mid-September informing the family that photos had been taken of Rick Barker's genitals and that immediate action had been taken.

But she said Central Health has been reluctant to share any details about what that action was beyond the fact that her husband is safe and that he suffered no physical harm.

"The only word for this is criminal, and sick. In my mind, it's sick," said Barker. "Charges should be laid, and I'm hoping they will be laid because I am not stopping until I have justice for my husband."

Until six years ago, Rick Barker was living at home and enjoying life with his wife and family.

Bernice Barker described her husband as "the most kind, loving human being that God could have ever created, an amazing husband and father and grandfather."

But the progression of Huntington's disease — an inherited, degenerative brain disorder — meant that he had to be moved into long-term care. It was a hard blow to him and his family, according to his wife.

But she says they never could have imagined what was to come, with her vulnerable and helpless husband being degraded by someone on staff taking photos of his genitals.

"He's in the late stages of Huntington's, unaware of what's going on around him," said Barker. "To have somebody there that's incapacitated, and to have that image in your mind of somebody standing there with a camera, making light of his condition when he has no idea what's happening to him, it's brutal."

Barker said the family has more questions than answers about who took the photos, where the photos were shared, and what action has been taken against the staff members responsible.

"I'm hoping beyond hope that the people that are at the forefront of this have been dismissed from their jobs. I certainly hope none of these accused or people involved are anywhere near my husband," she said.

Barker said she's also concerned about whether the photos will resurface somewhere.

"Most certainly I am concerned where those photos have ended up. With social media today, there's so many outlets for this stuff," she said. "Who knows where this may have ended up?"