Ex-health care provider pleads not guilty in elder abuse case

Labarbara Deshay Currin

FLORENCE — A former employee at a Florence nursing home accused of abusing an elderly patient pleaded not guilty, officials said.

An attorney representing Labarbara Deshay Currin, 27, 608 N. Third St., Pulaski, Tennessee, waived her formal arraignment Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges of second-degree elderly abuse and neglect.

A Lauderdale grand jury indicted Currin, who formerly lived on East Tombigbee Street in Florence, in December.

After the arraignment hearing, Lauderdale County Circuit Judge Gil Self placed the case on the May 18 criminal court docket.

Authorities said Currin is accused of abusing a 96-year-old patient while she was a health care provider at Glenwood Nursing Home in Florence, where she formerly worked.

The abuse reportedly occurred Aug. 10 and was reported to authorities by Glenwood officials, according to Florence police Detective Kevin Jackson.

According to the indictment, Currin did “intentionally abuse” and caused physical injury to the woman by “grabbing or twisting her arm, hitting and thumping her on the head.”

Glenwood officials said at the time of the arrest that they have a “zero tolerance policy with regard to abuse” and that Currin was immediately suspended while the allegations were investigated.

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

Currin is accused of becoming aggravated with the woman and hitting her.

Warrants were issued for Currin’s arrest in August. Members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Region Fugitive Task Force located her in Pulaski on Dec. 8 and arrested her.

She 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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Ex-health care provider pleads not guilty in elder abuse case

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