The brother of a woman who had to endure abuse and sexual assaults in a New York state run facility received a bill from the New York state government for her care. According to her brother, Bill Liblick, the government of New York wants $1.6 million from him for the care and treatment she received in the state operated facility.

Liblick’s sister was living at a state run group home and had been sexually assaulted. She was disabled and diagnosed with the mind and understanding of a 1-year-old child. After his sister had died, Liblick was sent a bill by the state of New York for her care, according to Yahoo News.

Liblick said the state was trying to recoup some of the money it had lost when Liblick sued them over the sexual abuse of his sister. He received $2.5 million last month in a court judgment against the state for the abuse his sister had suffered as far back as 2009. In the past couple of years, the state of New York has attempted to get money from families of patients that suffered abuse, and even fatal treatment, at the hands of state employees in care facilities.

Experts have stated that New York’s attempts to bill people for abusive care is over reaching at best and highly cynical at worst. They say that New York’s actions in this regard are unusual and not the norm in the country. Experts further note that there is a huge amount of discretion with regard to these cases and they bring into question the ethics, or lack thereof, in pursuing reimbursement for treatment that was fatal and abusive.

For New York, they will even attach a lien until the payments are made. Another New York case involved an autistic woman who was held down by staff until she died. The situation was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner and the sister of the woman received a $2.5 million judgment against the government of New York. A year later, the government of New York sent her a bill for her sister’s care totaling $11.7 million.