CBS12 viewer helping veteran who put 'Call the Police' note on mailbox in elder abuse case

by Al Pefley 

LANTANA, Fla. (CBS12) — An elderly Lantana man is getting some much-needed help.

As we reported a few days ago, the 81 year old man, who asked not to be identified, was allegedly attacked by his live-in caregiver, Denise Williams, 61, when police say she tried to strangle him on December 28.

Lantana Police say Williams then took his cellphone and two landline phones and his credit card and checkbook and she left, leaving him with no way to call for help. The man is a Navy veteran, a widower and retired security guard who has limited ability to walk.

Police say the victim put a note on his mailbox saying "Call the Police." The next day, December 29, a letter carrier found the note and he spoke with his supervisor at the post office and she called Lantana Police and Williams was later arrested.

A nurse who says she saw our story on CBS12 News and she was so saddened by what happened, that she reached out to help him. She is with a firm that places home health aides in homes of elderly people in south Florida.

"It bothered me that he's a veteran, and that what happened to him, that he was assaulted, and that nobody's looking after him, and that he had to put a note on the mailbox. I was horrified by that," said Michele Farkas, Nursing Administrator, Home with Help of Florida, Inc.

"So why did you want to help him? Because it's the right thing to do. We were raised that way. I'm Jewish. We were raised to do good in the world. My family, my father was a veteran," Farkas said.

She says she put him in touch with the VA and they will hopefully provide a home health aide to come to his house 12 hours a week to help him shower, perhaps do laundry and clean up his home and look after him. He will also get an emergency call button that he can wear so he can summon help if necessary in a medical emergency.

Williams is charged with robbery by sudden snatching, battery on the elderly and elderly exploitation.

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CBS12 viewer helping veteran who put 'Call the Police' note on mailbox in elder abuse case