Former nurse is charged

Labarbara Deshay Currin

FLORENCE — A former nurse at a local health care provider for the elderly has been arrested and charged with the abuse of a 96-year-old woman.

Florence police Sgt. Cliff Billingsley said Labarbara Deshay Currin, 27, formerly of East Tombigbee Street, Florence, was arrested Tuesday in Pulaski, Tennessee, by U.S. marshals and is charged with second-degree elder abuse.

Currin is accused of physically abusing the 96-year-old woman while the woman was a patient at Glenwood Nursing Home in Florence, according to reports.

Florence police Detective Kevin Jackson said the abuse reportedly occurred Aug. 10 and was reported to authorities by Glenwood officials.

Glenwood spokeswoman Jeanne Moore said in an emailed statement Glenwood immediately reports any accusation of abuse and “cooperates fully with police officials in any investigation.”

Jackson said Currin is accused of hitting the older woman on the head with her hand several times and twisting her arm.

“Glenwood Center has a zero tolerance policy with regard to abuse and when we receive a report from any source, be it patient, family or another employee, we immediately suspend the implicated individuals and thoroughly investigate the allegation,” Moore said. “We do not hesitate to terminate any employee when we believe they engage in inappropriate behavior toward our residents.”

Billingsley said according to reports, the woman had multiple knots on her head and a bruise on her arm.

“Apparently (Currin) got aggravated with the lady and just hit her,” Jackson said.

Jackson said police had been trying to locate Currin since the arrest warrant was issued in August.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Region Fugitive Task Force located Currin in Pulaski on Tuesday and made the arrest. Police said Currin was living in Pulaski.

The physical abuse of an elderly person is only one type of elder abuse.

“The more common types of elder abuse are neglect or financial exploitation,” said Jerry Groce, director of the Franklin County Department of Human Resources. “Just because there aren’t a lot of reports of physical abuse doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. It does.”

Groce said a lot of times older patients require a lot of extra care, which can put stress on caregivers.

“People who deal with elder adults have to have a lot of patience,” Groce said. “It’s easy for a person without compassion and caring to lash out at them. And unfortunately, we see this happen throughout the state.”

Currin is out of jail on bail totaling $6,000.

Second-degree elder abuse is a Class B felony and is punishable by 2-20 years in prison if convicted.

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Former nurse is charged