AMHI psychiatrist cleared in probe of patient deaths

AUGUSTA — Dr. Victor H. Pentlarge, the Augusta Mental Health Institute psychiatrist whose competence was called into question following a series of AMHI patient deaths more than a year ago, declined to comment Monday on a decision clearing him of any wrongdoing.

The state Board of Registration in Medicine had launched its investigation at the request of Susan B. Parker, then the commissioner of the state Mental Health Department, after five patients died during an August 1988 heat wave.

Pentlarge, who had been treating two of the five patients, said Monday he would have no comment on the board’s decision in his case, which was rendered earlier this month. He has remained on the AMHI staff throughout the investigation.

The investigation lasted 15 months because the medical-disciplinary panel had difficulty piecing together the state hospital’s medical records pertaining to one of the patients he treated, said the board’s executive secretary, David Hedrick.

Two other AMHI doctors, Dr. Donald Byers and Jose Castellanos, also were cleared after investigations by the board stemming from the patient deaths, which provoked sharp criticism and a lengthy investigation in the Legislature.