Authorities arrest nursing home employee

Dianne Haddock Burton

A 54-year-old Milledgeville nursing home employee has been arrested by local authorities in connection to a March 15 incident where an elderly resident was hit in the mouth.

The case had been under investigation by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office since the alleged crime took place.

Detective Chris Burrell identified the suspect as Dianne Haddock Burton, of 182 Helen Circle, was taken into custody about 2 p.m. Tuesday at a residence by Deputy Chanda Hogan.

Burton was being sought on outstanding felony warrants on charges of battery involving an elderly person and exploitation or deprivation of a disabled or elderly person over the age of 65, Burrell said.

After being arrested, Burton was taken to the Baldwin County Law Enforcement Center where she was jailed on the charges. 

Burrell said his investigation revealed the victim told several employees at Chaplinwood Nursing Home, located at 385 Allen Memorial Drive, what had happened to her.

“The victim said the woman who took care of her at nighttime struck her in the face when she was trying to change her clothes,” Burrell said. “The CNA was trying to put dirty pants on her.”

At the time, Burton was working a 12-hour shift as a CNA, Burrell told The Union-Recorder.

The case detective said he secured the warrants for Burton’s arrest on Monday.

“She was already out on bond at the time of this last arrest,” Burrell said.

Burton had previously been arrested by Deputy Crystal Washington on charges of simple battery and three counts of cruelty to children in the third degree following a recent physical altercation with her niece, Burrell said.

“She was released after bonding out on March 13 and went to work around 1700 hrs. (5 p.m.),” Burrell said. “The incident at the nursing home happened on the morning of March 15.”

The victim said she was hit in the mouth by a woman who worked at the nursing home between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. on March 15, Burrell said.

The detective said he later learned that Burton was working and responsible for the victim’s care at the time of the alleged crime.

After several employees of the nursing home were made aware of what had happened, the incident was immediately looked into by administrator Meredith Ransom.

Subsequently, efforts were made to reach Burton by telephone, but such attempts failed.

About two hours later, Burton talked with nursing home officials pertaining to the incident, Burrell said.

During a conversation that Burton had with Ransom, Burrell said Burton told the nursing home administrator her account of the incident was that the resident leaned up and bumped her  elbow onto her mouth.

“She also told a nurse that there was some pinkness and redness around the victim’s mouth,” Burrell said. “She didn’t tell the nurse that there had been physical contact.”

The victim told multiple people on the staff at the nursing home that she was struck in the face by an employee at the nursing home, Burrell said.

The detective said when he went to the nursing home and talked with the victim he noticed significantly more bruising than he had seen in a photograph of the victim that had been taken earlier by Hogan.

“I do not believe it was just an accidental bump from her (victim’s) elbow,” Burrell said.

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Authorities arrest nursing home employee