When Wall Street Took Over This Nursing Company, Profits Grew and Patients Suffered

As investors assemble pediatric care giant, safety lapses mount.

In August, Jennifer Alvarado, an Aveanna Healthcare client, feeds her seven-year-old daughter Sophia.

In August, Jennifer Alvarado, an Aveanna Healthcare client, feeds her seven-year-old daughter Sophia.

Photographer: Joanna Kulesza

One nurse slept on the job. Another didn’t show up at all. A third scalded a child so badly that her skin peeled.

Still another failed to check on a toddler who depended on a breathing tube. By the time the nurse returned, the child’s hands and feet were purple.