TROY — The parents of a man whose body had been decomposing for 38 days inside a Troy supportive living facility are suing the nonprofit owner, its former director and several employees for negligence and improper handling of a body.

Yvonne Ketter-Walls said she felt compelled to file the suit on behalf of her late son, 27 year-old Raolik Walls, after a state investigation into Hudson Mohawk Recovery Center and its staff concluded that neglect had occurred, but held no one accountable in a meaningful way. It was filed this week in Rensselaer County Supreme Court.

"I have some closure because people and the facility were found neglectful," she said. "But I don't have full closure because they have not yet been penalized or held accountable. They're getting a free pass."

Raolik Walls first checked into the recovery center's residential program for men in November 2017 after completing a treatment program for drug addiction. On Dec. 3, he spoke with his family. But when no one had heard from him six days later, his aunt visited the facility. A staff member told her Raolik had left several days earlier.

The family became worried, and filed a missing person's report with Troy police. They began searching for Raolik around the Capital Region to no avail. On Jan. 11, 2018, more than a month later, they learned the truth: Raolik had never left the facility. A pest control worker entered his room and found his body on the bed.

The condition of the body made it difficult for medical examiners to determine a cause of death. Toxicology tests found no traces of illicit drugs in his system. It's believed that his heart stopped during the early morning hours of Dec. 4, 2017.

To this day, Ketter-Walls says she doesn't know how her son's body could have gone undetected for so long.

"Staff told my sister that Raolik left and left his key in the door," she said. "Now, it turns out after the fact, they really just checked the wrong room. But shouldn't you know where people are assigned, and how do you not check this other room for so long?"

The New York State Justice Center, a state agency tasked with investigating allegations of abuse and neglect at state-run or licensed facilities, concluded an investigation into the case late last year. A spokeswoman for the agency said she could not release details about its findings.

However, a determination letter sent to the family in mid-December says investigators confirmed allegations of neglect against at least two employees, who are identified in the lawsuit as former executive director Thomas Bendon and current residential director Aubree Graves.

Neither could be reached for comment Thursday, and leaders at the Hudson Mohawk Recovery Center did not respond to requests for comment.

The Justice Center also identified "substantial systemic problems" at the nonprofit recovery center, including inadequate management, training and supervision it says may have exposed Walls to harm or potential harm.

While it recommended corrective actions to address these problems, Ketter-Walls says she remains unsatisfied by the lack of action taken against Bendon and Graves. Bendon left the organization in 2018 for unknown reasons. Graves, meanwhile, is still employed there, according to the Walls' lawsuit and a directory maintained by the state.

Substantiated reports of abuse or neglect are categorized in one of four ways by the Justice Center. A Category 1 finding is the most serious, and results in the accused being placed on a list that bars them from any future employment involving vulnerable citizens in the state of New York.

The neglect allegations against the two employees were substantiated as Category 2, according to the determination letter. This is defined as abuse or neglect that seriously endangers the health, safety or welfare of a service recipient. It does not mandate any disciplinary action unless the person is found guilty of Category 2 neglect or abuse within the next three years. After five years, the finding is sealed under state law.

"How do I know this didn't happen before?" Ketter-Walls said, referring to the process.

The Walls' lawsuit also names John and Jane Does 1-4, identified only as case managers and RAs at the center. Ketter-Walls said these are people who were cleared of wrongdoing and neglect by the state because they were "simply following bad rules and orders."

The family is seeking unspecified damages. It is also in the process of requesting complete investigation files and records in their son's case, which are not immediately provided and must be requested under a special state law known as Jonathan's Law.