Dementia patient sexually abused by medical employee, police say

A St. Louis County man was indicted by a grand jury, accused of sexually abusing a dementia patient. 

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Dementia patient sexually abused by medical employee, police say 

Nursing home administrator accused of stealing from dementia patient

Administrator faces criminal charges and license suspension

By: Clark Kauffman

An Iowa nursing home administrator criminally charged with stealing thousands of dollars from an elderly resident has agreed to refrain from practicing while an investigation is pending.

Chelsi Ingles, 34, of Tipton, is facing charges of first-degree felony theft against an older individual, dependent adult abuse by exploitation, ongoing criminal conduct and tampering with records. She has pleaded not guilty to each of the charges.

Prosecutors allege that in December 2023, Ingles, while working as the administrator at the Aspire of Muscatine nursing home, stole two checks belonging to a female resident of the home. State records indicate that at the time, the resident had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, dementia and epilepsy.

Ingles is alleged to have cashed one of the resident’s checks and collected $8,500, after which she deposited $3,500 into the resident’s trust account at Aspire of Muscatine.

A week later, she allegedly used the second check to deposit $8,500 into a bank account she had set up for herself and the resident. Later that day, Ingles allegedly transferred $8,500 from that account to a separate account she shared with her husband.

Prosecutors allege that in January 2024, during an internal investigation at the home, Aspire asked Ingles to return the resident’s money and any receipts she had for purchases that were made with trust-account money. Ingles allegedly returned only $3,202 in cash. Prosecutors say she also provided her employer with questionable documentation that falsely suggested the rest of the money was used to purchase food, furniture and a television for the resident.

State inspection records indicate executives with the Aspire chain of nursing homes admitted that they didn’t notify the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing of the suspected theft, as required by law, and also didn’t inform law enforcement officials.

Ingles worked for Cedar County and for Clinton facility

State records show that in 2022, before Ingles began working at Aspire of Muscatine, Cedar County fired Ingles from her position there as a public health manager, allegedly for timecard theft. The county had compared Ingles’ timecards with electronic data showing when she arrived for work each day and had concluded she was claiming pay for hours never worked. Ingles said she worked odd hours at times and occasionally performed work, such as viewing work-related videos, outside normal office hours.

Ingles was initially denied unemployment benefits, with the judge in her case finding that even if she had been given permission “to arrive early or watch videos and bill at odd hours, that does not excuse her ongoing, poor recordkeeping that only worked to her advantage.” The Employment Appeal Board subsequently reversed the judge’s decision, noting that Ingles “had never been reprimanded, or issued any warnings about the way she spent her time or how she recorded her hours.”

State records also show that after Ingles left her position at Aspire of Muscatine, she served briefly as the administrator at Addington Place, an assisted living center in Clinton.

Ingles’ attorney recently obtained a continuance in the criminal case due to ongoing plea-agreement negotiations with county prosecutors, who are seeking a total of $8,523 in victim restitution in the matter. A pretrial conference in the case is scheduled for March 13, 2026.

Recently, the Iowa Board of Nursing Home Administrators entered into a settlement agreement with Ingles. The board agreed that it would not pursue formal disciplinary charges against Ingles until the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing completes its investigation of the 2023 incident and Ingles has been given a chance to respond to the findings.

In the meantime, Ingles has agreed to refrain from practicing as a nursing home administrator until further order by the board. As a result, the status of her state license, which expired in December 2025, is listed as “suspended.”

During Aspire of Muscatine’s most recent annual inspection, in May 2025, the home was cited for 17 regulatory violations — an exceptionally high number. The violations included inadequate quality of care; failure to maintain residents’ nutrition and hydration status; inadequate respiratory care; failure to maintain sufficient, competent staff, and inadequate food services and infection control.

On the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ five-star quality scale, Aspire of Muscatine currently has a one-star rating for both overall quality and health inspections. 

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Nursing home administrator accused of stealing from dementia patient 

2 charged with elder abuse in dementia patient's death in Santa Cruz County

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2 charged with elder abuse in dementia patient's death in Santa Cruz County

Caretaker charged with spending thousands of dollars with dementia patient's debit card

by LENNY COHEN

Sandra Jean Yeager was charged with grand theft of between $750 and $5,000, and with exploitation of an elderly person, Jan. 26, 2024. (Sumter Co. Sheriff's Office)

WILDWOOD, Fla. (TND) — A woman in Florida who helped take care of an elderly man with dementia is accused of taking care of herself with his debit card, big time.

There's a long list of places she allegedly spent money with his that card, and she's charged with two felonies.

According to her arrest report, “The victim's son stated that his father was showing signs of dementia and stated he could not operate the TV remote, could no longer utilize his smartphone, and could not even use the phone to call him.

“It was unknown to him that his father had given the defendant the debit card.”

A Wildwood police officer reported going to Sandra Jean Yeager's home early on Jan. 26, and wrote, “The defendant admitted that she used the victim's card to purchase items without prior approval, but stated that it was only a few items.

“The defendant stated that some items she was given permission to purchase and paid back,” the report continued, “but was unable to provide receipts or any information showing that this took place.”

The arrest report listed many visits to several stores, starting with various Walmart locations, gathered from spending with the card.

Sandra Jean Yeager's arrest report includes a list of 20 dates from October through December that she visited a single Walmart in The Villages, spending a total of $1,132.46 there, Jan. 26, 2024. (Wildwood Police Dept.)

First, there are 20 dates from October through December that she visited a single Walmart in The Villages, spending a total of $1,132.46 there.

Separately, it lists the same store a second time on Nov. 14, for a total of $191.53.

Sandra Jean Yeager's arrest report continues with more spending she allegedly made, coming to a grand total of $3,486.64, Jan. 26, 2024. (Wildwood Police Dept.)

The next page lists nine visits to five other Walmarts, along with multiple visits to eight other shops, and online with Google.

The total came to $3,486.64, according to the arrest report.

Yeager was charged with grand theft of between $750 and $5,000, and with exploitation of an elderly person. Both are felonies.

She was booked later in the morning of Jan. 26, and spent 26 hours in jail before her release.

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Caretaker charged with spending thousands of dollars with dementia patient's debit card

Dementia Patient Reportedly Scammed Out of $18,000 in Jonesboro; Police Investigating Felony Exploitation

by Stan Morris

JONESBORO, Ark. — A 77-year-old man with dementia was allegedly scammed out of $18,000, according to a report filed with the Jonesboro Police Department between August 1 and August 25.

The daughter of the victim filed the report, indicating that her father had been used to withdraw money from the bank by suspects who then stole it. A 38-year-old white male and a black female of unknown age are listed as suspects in the report.

The case is currently under investigation for a potential felony charge of abuse of adults/exploits with property value more than $2,500.

The incident highlights the heightened vulnerability of elderly individuals, particularly those with cognitive impairments, to financial exploitation. The case also raises questions about what measures can be taken to better protect this demographic.

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Dementia Patient Reportedly Scammed Out of $18,000 in Jonesboro; Police Investigating Felony Exploitation

Hidden camera reveals abuse by care home staff of dementia patient Ann King

When Ann King, 88, faced worsening dementia, her children considered a dozen care homes and carefully picked Reigate Grange, part of the Signature Senior Lifestyle chain, with annual fees close to £100,000. 

Within months, however, they began to worry their mother was being neglected as she began asking them if they were going to throw her out of bed, or the window. The family installed a covert camera on King's bedside table that revealed harrowing abuse. 

 They have shared some of the footage with the Guardian in the hope of exposing such practices; something they say their mother, a former nurse, would have wanted. Signature apologised to the family and insisted the ''reprehensible' behaviour was 'committed by rogue individuals'.

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Hidden camera reveals abuse by care home staff of dementia patient Ann King

Nursing home cited after dementia patient found with maggots

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina agency has cited a nursing home after live maggots were found in the wound of a dementia patient.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services cited University Place Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in Charlotte on Sept. 20 following an investigation prompted by a complaint from the resident’s grandson, WBTV reported.

Justin Waddell told the television station that he first became aware of his grandmother’s infested wound after a tip from the facility’s staff members. Another staffer sent him video that showed an open wound on his grandmother’s heel with live maggots crawling out. He called regulators to report the incident.

Instead of having Mayes taken to the hospital to have the wound cleaned, staff told inspectors, the nursing home’s director of nursing called in the assistant director of nursing to clean the wound on-site, according to the report.

The nursing home didn’t respond to the television station’s emails seeking comment.

Prior to the latest inspection, records show University Place had been cited 21 times for violations by state inspectors over the past decade.

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Nursing home cited after dementia patient found with maggots

Lansing nurse pleads guilty to over-drugging dementia patient, texting photo to co-worker

by: Brian Dulle

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — A 37-year-old Atchison, Kansas woman accused of over-drugging a dementia patient and then texting a co-worker a photo has plead guilty.

On Friday, Jennifer Lynn Reavis was convicted of endangerment (or recklessly exposing another person to a danger of great bodily harm or death), unlawful administration of a controlled substance, and battery. 

Charges were filed against Reavis after an investigation by the Lansing Police Department at the Twin Oaks Health and Rehab Center in May 2019.  

Administrators contacted police after finding out that a resident had been given evening and bedtime medications at the same time by a nurse, along with an Ativan and a Benadryl, which was not in the resident’s schedule of medications and are known to cause a person to be drowsy.

The nurse was identified to be Reavis, who gave the resident the medication. Reavis also sent a text message to the oncoming night shift nurse that included a photo of the resident slumped over in a wheelchair and appeared to be asleep. The caption along with the picture in the text message read, “Your welcome! I hope she is asleep most of the day tomorrow.” A second text message along with the photo read “Hint hint.”

Reavis admitted to giving the resident the medication and sending the text message. She indicated the resident had been trying to leave the facility.

After being given the medication, the resident, who suffers from severe dementia, began vomiting and became lethargic and eventually needed to be taken to the hospital to undergo treatment.

At this time Reavis is out on bond awaiting sentencing.

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Lansing nurse pleads guilty to over-drugging dementia patient, texting photo to co-worker

 

Nursing home workers accused of duct-taping elderly dementia patient to chair

Lashron Williams, Phygelle Brudent, Sherlie Tesyeux

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (AP/WSVN) — Three Florida nursing home employees are charged with using duct tape to restrain and quiet a patient with dementia.

Boynton Beach Police said 52-year-old Lashron Williams and 44-year-old Phygelle Brudent duct-taped a 67-year-old woman to a chair and used tape to cover her mouth. They were arrested July 12th and charged with elder abuse and false imprisonment.

A third nursing home employee, 27-year-old Sherlie Tesyeux, was arrested Sunday at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after returning from Haiti, police said.

Detectives say Brudent confessed to duct-taping the victim July 3rd. According to the Palm Beach Post, Brudent told officers she tied the woman up with cloth pajama pants and used duct tape to bind her hands and feet. She also put the tape over her mouth to “prevent her from screaming,” the arrest report says.

Williams told police Brudent duct-taped the victim. She said she uncovered the patient’s mouth to give her sleeping pills. She said she told Brudent it was wrong to duct-tape patients, but did not report her.

A probable cause affidavit says Tesyeux was present when the victim was restrained, but did not stop nor report what the others did.

3rd suspect arrested for part in tying woman, 67, to chair w/duct tape at assisted living facility. Sherlie Tesyeux, 28, taken into custody at @FLLFlyer by @browardsheriff after returning from trip to Haiti. Read arrest report here:https://t.co/JPoPkd177c

— Boynton Beach Police (@BBPD) August 1, 2018

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Nursing home workers accused of duct-taping elderly dementia patient to chair

NSW woman spared jail over elderly assault

A Sydney nursing assistant who repeatedly slapped an 85-year-old dementia patient and hit her in the face with her own bathroom rubbish has been spared jail.

Dana Maree Gray, 59, was in August sentenced to 17 months' imprisonment with a six-month non-parole period for assaulting the "entirely dependent" woman while working at The Poplars nursing home in North Epping in August 2017.

However, at Burwood Local Court on Thursday, magistrate Robyn Denes ordered Gray serve the sentence by way of home detention.

Gray had worked in the dementia unit of the home since December 2013 when she walked into the "vulnerable" woman's bedroom and unleashed the "domestic violence" attack, Ms Denes said upon sentencing last month.

The magistrate condemned Gray's abuse of her "position of trust" and the way her offending came to light.

Footage of the assault, tendered in court, was shot on a GoPro camera hidden by a colleague of Gray's who feared for the residents' safety.

It shows Gray raising the woman's bed to chest height so she can't sit or lay down, aggressively pulling off her clothes, slapping her repeatedly and grabbing her hair before hitting her twice in the face with a bag of rubbish.

Ms Denes refused in June to hear the matter under the Mental Health Act and Gray was also deemed "unsuitable" to serve any sentence via community service due to an arm disability.

Her home detention sentence expires on February 19, 2020.

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NSW woman spared jail over elderly assault

Great Falls assisted living managers charged with stealing from a dementia patient

Two women are charged with exploiting an elderly man's pocketbook from their positions as management in a Great Falls assisted living home. 

Jillian Lorrain Davis and Erica T. Lawrence are charged with exploitation of an older and incapacitated person, a felony. 

In October, one of the man's children reported to Great Falls police that he suffered from dementia and stayed at the Bluebird Assisted Living Facility. A woman reportedly charged with managing the man's finances said Davis, house manager of the assisted living facility, had been using his checking account for medical supplies, cigarettes, snacks and clothing. 

The woman told police that the man's medical supplies had been paid for by other sources and that he had no new clothes to show for the money spent.

According to court documents, the incident that prompted them to visit police included a $1,000 withdrawal from a Great Falls bank, which Davis said would be for a new TV. The family reported, however, that the man never got a new TV.

Great Falls police reportedly found that Davis had received approximately $1,967.50 from the man's account between August and October in 2017. Another $40 check was written to Ken Davis, Jillian's husband and not an employee at Bluebird, according to reports. 

In addition, Lawrence, a former Bluebird manager, was reportedly received $2,070 from the man's account between January 2016 and August 2017. 

In speaking with the general manager at Bluebird, police learned the "plan of care" for the man included conditions that the woman in charge of his finances would handle the man's money, not the staff. The plan was signed and filed by Davis and Lawrence, according to court documents. 

The manager also told police that Davis and her husband had reportedly been caught stealing a flat screen TV from the Meadowlark House, a facility affiliated with Bluebird. The incident was reportedly caught on surveillance footage, but they returned the TV and staff never reported the incident to police, she said. 

Meadowlark manager Laurie Kelly told the Tribune Davis no longer works at assisted living homes. She said Davis was likely allowed to return to work after the TV incident because she returned it, but added that there was less supervision at Bluebird to impose some discipline. 

In October, Davis reportedly stopped showing up to work after a manager said she wanted to have a meeting regarding some money matters. In November, officers were able to phone Davis, who said she "did not know" the man was a dementia patient. Davis was not in custody at her initial appearance on Monday after posting her $2,500 bond. Her arraignment has not yet been set.

Lawrence, according to court records, has not yet been arrested on a $2,500 warrant issued in January.

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Great Falls assisted living managers charged with stealing from a dementia patient

Dementia patient wanders off in the cold after being dropped off at Brooklyn nursing home — found 12 hours later

James Hamilton (pictured) said the decision to place his stepmother Cheryl Shaw-Hamilton into the Crown Heights Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation was heart-wrenching. (Jesse Ward/for New York Daily News)

A dementia patient wandered off in the frigid cold, without a coat, during a transport between two Brooklyn nursing homes — and was discovered 12 hours later by her frantic family at a Queens hospital, relatives told The Daily News.

James Hamilton told The News the decision to place his stepmother Cheryl Shaw-Hamilton into the Crown Heights Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation was heart-wrenching.

"I'm desperately trying to keep her safe,” said Hamilton, 37, of Rego Park. “From January 1 to January 10 she drastically changed.”

Shaw-Hamilton, 70, has suffered from lupus for much of her life, but over the last nine years — after retiring from a career in bookkeeping — she was ultimately diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Shaw-Hamilton's stay at the St. Marks Ave. facility was only a brief stint before her expected transfer to the Linden Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in East New York, which has a dementia unit for long-term care, Hamilton said.

He said on Feb. 8, he got a call around 1 p.m. that she was finally getting transferred to the Linden facility.

"When I arrived at the Linden Boulevard center around 6 (p.m.), they said she wasn't there," said Hamilton.

The worried son then called the Crown Heights facility, which told him his stepmom was transported by Royalty Transportation LLC ambulette services around 3:30 p.m. and arrived at 4:30 p.m.

"We checked the security footage and it shows a man guide her to the front door,” Hamilton said. “She then walked passed the door. He guided her again into the lobby, she walked in and he left. You see her scratch her head, look into her bag, turn around and walk out.”

Protocol for transporting drivers is to take the patient into the facility and complete the transfer with a staff member, a source told The News.

"This was an egregious violation of protocol by Royalty's driver and is totally unacceptable,” said Nelissa Garces, an administrator with Linden Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. “By contrast, Linden Center staff followed all patient transfer procedures properly.”

The driver was fired, according to an employee of the transportation service.

Cheryl Shaw-Hamilton suffers from Alzheimer's. (Jesse Ward/for New York Daily News)

“The safety and well-being of our residents is paramount, and we immediately reported this incident to the Department of Health," said Graces.

After reviewing the surveillance video with the security guard, Hamilton said he immediately called the police to report his stepmom missing.

From 8 p.m. on Feb. 8 until 9:30 a.m. Feb. 9, Hamilton, his cousin and the police searched for Shaw-Hamilton throughout Brooklyn, in local hospitals and fast-food restaurants with 24-hour sitting areas — all to no avail.

"I went home and got a call from her transportation service confirming that she would be discharged from Jamaica Hospital. I told them not to let her go," said Hamilton who rushed over to the hospital.

Shaw-Hamilton was confused with a large gauze over the right side her forehead and dark circles around her eyes, he said.

"I was so happy to see her. The hospital staff was able to figure out who she was through her Medicaid cards," said Hamilton, who remembers his stepmom as a vibrant person who loved to travel and dance before she suffered dementia.

Hamilton's cousin Khadejia Bass, 47, contacted community activist Geoffrey Davis, who put the family in touch with civil lawyer Sanford Rubenstein.

"It was 10 degrees, she was out all night and didn't have on a coat,” said Davis. “Both facilities and the ambulette must be held accountable for allowing this to happen and not happen to anyone else."

"Clearly facilities and transportation companies that treat the elderly with Alzheimer’s have an obligation to the patient and families to safely transport them from one place to another. In this case, they woefully failed the patient and her family," said Rubenstein.

Royalty Transportation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Dementia patient wanders off in the cold after being dropped off at Brooklyn nursing home — found 12 hours later