CHALMETTE, La. (AP) – The owners of a nursing home where 35 patients died in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were indicted Wednesday on charges of negligent homicide and cruelty to the infirm.

Salvador and Mabel Mangano were initially arrested about two weeks after the Aug. 29, 2005, storm. They own St. Rita’s nursing home in St. Bernard Parish, a coastal suburb of New Orleans badly flooded by Katrina.

The Manganos remained free on bond.

Attorneys in the case were prevented from commenting by a gag order.

Katrina flooded 80 percent of New Orleans and virtually wiped out neighboring St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. The Louisiana death toll was nearly 1,600.

AP-ES-09-20-06 1857EDT