A woman is facing felony charges after detectives said she allegedly assaulted an elderly woman who refused to pay her a $500 Christmas bonus. Heather Nelson, 29, is now facing more than half a dozen charges, including robbery, aggravated battery, forgery, fraud, and grand theft, according to the Brevard County Clerk of the Court.
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Florida woman arrested, accused of assaulting elderly employer after being denied $500 bonus
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| Braden A. Harn and Robert Lee Ledbetter (Pike Co. Sheriffs office) |
PIKE COUNTY, Ill. (WGEM) - Two men were arrested on Sunday after they allegedly stole money, a handgun, watches and other items from a safe at a residence in Barry, Illinois.
The Pike County Sheriff’s Office responded at about 7:12 a.m. on Feb. 12 to a house in the 1000 block of Illinois 106.
The resident reported to police that two men came to their house on Feb. 11 to make an agreement for an asphalting job. They wrote a check to the suspects for the job.
On Feb. 12, the suspects came back to the residence requesting the payment be made in cash. When the resident opened a safe to retrieve the cash, the suspects stole a large amount of money, a Smith and Wesson handgun, watches and various other items.
Police said the suspects fled the scene in a white Ford F-150.
The Pike County Sheriff’s Office alerted local law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the truck and suspects.
Within minutes of the alert, the Hannibal Police Department found the truck and arrested Robert Lee Ledbetter, 59, of Hannibal, and Braden A. Harn, 20, of Hannibal.
Both men are being held in the Marion County Jail where were charged with residential burglary, financial exploitation of the elderly, robbery, theft between $10,000-$100,000 and unlawful possession of a stolen firearm.
Police said this incident is still under investigation and further charges are pending.
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Two Hannibal men allegedly steal money, handgun and more from elderly person
by Karris Harmon
"This guy's a coward. Basically, beat his 81-year-old dad," said Captain Paul Burch.
56-year-old Kim Aundrea Griffin is in the Mobile Metro County Jail, charged with domestic violence strangulation, elderly abuse, and robbery of his 81-year-old stepfather Willie McCall. Griffin was trying to get McCall to sign over his power of attorney-giving griffin access to his finances, vehicle, and estate. When McCall refused to sign...
"The stepson who's 56 years old threw him against the cabinet, knocked him to the floor, and when he was on the floor began to choke and strangle him then beat him in the face," said Burch.
The stepson didn't stop there. Before taking the keys of the victim’s car:
"The stepson made the victim take off his bloody clothes and change into other clothes in case anyone was to come over, took the bloody clothes with him," said Burch.
Unfortunately, what happened to Willie McCall is not uncommon in Alabama. Commissioner of the AL Department of Senior Services, Jean Brown, says it happens more than you think.
"11,000 cases reported. For every one of those reported cases, it's estimated that there are 23 cases that are ongoing and occurring that are never reported," said Brown. "11,000 would be just the tip of the iceberg."
Brown tells me it's common for an elder to be abused by someone close to them like a family member. It's hard to say how long willie McCall was enduring this abuse.
"What makes that so sad, is that quite often it’s very hard for a parent to report their son or daughter. They love their son or daughter and in addition to that if the son or daughter does not take care of them, they may not have anyone else," said Brown.
Burch says the incident occurred over a financial dispute and that McCall is okay. Commissioner Brown says financial abuse can be one that goes unrecognized because the victim may not be aware that someone taking advantage of them.
Indio residents Juan Antonio Beltran, 25, and Itati Maribi Ceja, 24, were arrested in November 2018 at the scene of the alleged break-in.
Following a preliminary hearing at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, Riverside County Superior Court Judge James S. Hawkins ruled that prosecutors presented sufficient evidence for both defendants to proceed to trial on burglary, robbery, kidnapping and elder abuse charges.
Beltran also faces a felony charge of witness intimidation, and sentence-enhancing allegation that the offense was committed with a firearm.
The prosecution on its own motion opted not to pursue a charge of false imprisonment of a hostage against both defendants, and a charge of criminal threats against Beltran.
Hawkins kept Beltran’s bail at $1 million and Ceja’s at $100,000. Both defendants remain in custody, with a post-preliminary hearing arraignment scheduled for May 27.
Officers were sent about 1:45 a.m. on Nov. 14, 2018, to the 2200 block of South Sunshine Circle following a 911 call from the location, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.
Randall Bailey testified Thursday that he was working as a caretaker at Carolyn Auburn’s house that night. He said they were dozing off in the family room when a man busted in the home, and forced him into another room and tied him up.
Bailey testified that the man, later identified as Beltran, had “what appeared to be a gun.” He said Beltran took his wallet and asked him “where’s the gold?”
Police allege Auburn, who has dementia, was tied up, gagged and assaulted during this time, although Bailey testified he was in the other room and did not witness it.
Officer Johnathan Mosley testified that a nurse later said Auburn suffered facial swelling and bruising, and lost two teeth. She was also vomiting blood, Mosley said.
No gun was recovered, although police reported finding ammunition in Ceja’s car near the location, Officer Mario Kasal testified.
Bailey was employed by Home Instead, a Palm Desert-based senior care agency, at the time of the break-in.
Palm Springs police Officer Barron Lane testified that Ceja was also employed by the same senior care agency before she was fired the day before the break-in. She worked for Auburn for two weeks before she was removed from the account at Auburn’s request due to performance issues, he said.
Bailey testified that he was eventually able to free himself and call 911. Police responded in force, surrounding the house, and the defendants were arrested after allegedly attempting to flee out the back door.
They would later claim in interviews with police that they were chased to the location, where they were let inside by Bailey, although Ceja allegedly later changed her story and admitted the robbery was her idea. “All of it was me,” Kasal said Ceja told him.
Beltran has prior felony convictions including burglary and evading arrest.
Despite Ceja having no prior felony
convictions in Riverside County, she is currently also facing a murder
charge. She is one of three defendants charged in the shooting death of
Jason Diaz, who was found on the sidewalk in front of a home in Indio on
June 24, 2020. She has pleaded not guilty in that case.
