Showing posts with label nursing home employee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nursing home employee. Show all posts

Sunday, November 8, 2020

LaFayette Nursing home employee charged with aggravated sodomy after sexual assaulting patient


LaFayette Police Chief says three more residents of the PruittHealth Shepherd Hills facility have come forward with reports of sexual assault against Henrii Hosue Reynoso. The Police Chief also expects more employees of the Shepherd Hills facility to face charges for failure to report elderly abuse as required by law. Chief Clift says state investigators were inside the nursing home interviewing residents Friday. LaFayette Police Detectives say Reynoso is in the country legally as a DACA recipient, but is not a US citizen. Detectives also said that Reynoso was not certified to be working as a CNA inside the facility. Due to an exemption issued by the state of Georgia and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to keep nursing homes from becoming understaffed during COVID-19, Reynoso was able to work in a CNA position when the sexual assault occurred. According a LaFayette Police Department incident report, a Detective Owens interviewed Peggy Bohannon the head sure and Stacy Jackson a social worker after the alleged assault. According to the report Bohannon who was the head nurse the night of the incident was notified by a CNA of the assault, and that Bohannon advised social worker Stacy Jackson about it. Detective Owens reported, "Mrs. Bohannon stated that she moved Mr. Reynoso to the north wing to work so he would not be around the victim and advised me that she and Mr. Jackson had agreed that they would go speak with the victim a later time when it wasn't so busy." "Mrs. Bohannon stated that she never went and spoke to the victim and never reported the incident her supervisors or law enforcement authorities." Bohannon she was off a few days and was reminded of the incident when she returned to work on October 20th, when the victim questioned her about it. Even then no law enforcement officials weren't contacted. Bohannon and Jackson were each charged with Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation of a Disabled Adult or Elder Person.

Previous press release:

On October 20th, The LaFayette Police Department was notified of a reported sexual assault that occurred between an employee and a patient at Pruitt Health Care Shepherd Hills located at 800 Patterson Road LaFayette Georgia.

The LaFayette Police Department conducted an investigation, and it was discovered that the patient reported the sexual assault to staff of Pruitt Health Care Shepherd Hills on October 16th. The staff of Pruitt Health Care Shepherd Hills failed to report the Incident to Law Enforcement as required by O.C.G.A 30-5-8. The Incident was reported to Law Enforcement by a concerned family member of the victim on the evening of October 20th. As a result of the investigation, Henrii Hosue Reynoso was charged with Aggravated Sodomy and is currently wanted on this charge. The investigation also led to charges being filed against Stacy Jackson and Peggy Bohannon, employees of Pruitt Health Care Shepherd Hills, for Failure to Report Abuse of Elder Person.

Full Article & Source:

Saturday, August 8, 2020

Police investigating after disturbing photos, videos found on nursing facility employee’s phone

by: Jack Shea

LORAIN, Ohio (WJW) — A now former employee at a Lorain County nursing facility is the focus of a police investigation into her treatment of patients, after detectives stumbled onto disturbing photos and videos on her phone while investigating an unrelated crime.

The story began to unfold after a gunman opened fire on a house on West 21st Street in Lorain on a steamy night in July, killing two-year-old Camily Patterson and wounding two adults inside the home.

Police vowed to leave no stone unturned in their search for the killer.

“Obviously when you see a young child like that murdered in that fashion, you know it’s hard to deal with,” said Lorain Police Detective Sgt. Buddy Sivert.

Police quickly identified a person of interest in the triple shooting, and it led them to question a friend of the potential suspect. Investigators say 26-year-old Jocelyn Wright provided an alibi for the suspect that turned out to be false.

Wright was charged with obstructing official business.

“Basically she lied to us, she admitted that she lied to us,” said Sgt. Sivert.

Police say Wright gave investigators permission to check her cell phone in their search for any communication with the murder suspect. Photos and videos that they found on the phone took their investigation of Jocelyn Wright into a totally different direction.

“Disturbing photos of patients naked, lying on the floor, patients that appeared to have fallen back from their wheelchairs you know basically upside down, patients on the toilet,” said Sgt. Sivert.
Lorain police say their investigation revealed that Wright was a care giver at the Main Street Care Center in Avon Lake, and that the photos and videos on her phone were of patients at the facility.

Police have turned over the evidence they found on Wright’s phone to Avon Lake Police. Detectives are now trying to determine if Wright should face criminal charges for her conduct at the nursing center.

“She would, instead of looking out for these patients, caring for these patients, she would take time to take photos of patients in distress and then send them to other people. That in itself should be enough for her to never work in a facility or an agency where she would care for patients,” said Sgt. Sivert.
The parent company of Main Street, Sprenger Health Care System, issued the following statement:
“Main Street Care Center management is saddened to confirm they are conducting an investigation in cooperation with local law enforcement regarding a past employee who took unauthorized pictures of facility residents. These actions are not only against company policy, but strongly condemned by the organization as a whole. This employee has been terminated from Main Street Care Center. Upon notification of the incident, it was immediately reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and resident family members of the involved parties living at Main Street Care Center. Furthermore, once the investigation is concluded, the facility will submit a final report to ODH, the Board of Nursing and take all possible employment related and legal actions to the fullest extent. This type of behavior is not, and will not be tolerated. Main Street Care Center takes the safety and security of our residents very seriously. Re-education is being provided to all staff members to assure they are aware this type of action is not acceptable. While we again, are strongly disappointed by this situation, we would like to assure our residents, families, and the general public that Main Street Care Center has many excellent employees who care for their residents as if they were a member of their own family.”
Avon Lake police are trying to identify the patients and making contact with their families.

Full Article & Source:
Police investigating after disturbing photos, videos found on nursing facility employee’s phone

Sunday, July 12, 2020

Moberly nursing home employee charged with financial exploitation

By Erik Cliburn

A Moberly woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly stealing money from a Moberly Nursing and Rehabilitation resident while she was working at the facility.

Kristina Sires, 39, is facing two charges each of stealing and financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person after she allegedly stole $16,000 from a resident of the nursing facility. Sires’ employment status at the nursing home was undetermined Monday afternoon. Administrator Sarah Enyard was unavailable for comment.

Moberly police were contacted by Enyard on Dec. 4 in reference to a potential case of felony stealing involving a nursing home employee. Enyard was contacted by the vice president of Regional Missouri Bank in Moberly about a resident who had made two cash withdrawals, totaling $16,000, from her bank account over the course of two weeks. The resident was allegedly escorted to the bank by Sires during the withdrawals, according to court documents.

The resident told Enyard that she had given the money to Sires to secure in the resident’s safe, which was in her room, according to court documents. Enyard did not find any of the cash after the resident consented to a search of their room.

Enyard confronted Sires about the money. Sires admitted to escorting the resident to the bank, but claimed that she stayed in the back of the bank while business was conducted, documents state.

Sires had told the resident that the money was for a plan to pay her bills in one lump sum, according to court documents. The resident said Sires escorted her to both withdrawals, but could not remember the amount taken out. The resident allegedly gave the money to Sires for safe keeping.

A teller at the bank told police that Sires was with the resident during both withdrawals and that Sires had taken the envelopes containing the cash, documents state. Video surveillance of the bank corroborated that Sires was with the resident at the teller desk and had taken the envelopes.

In an interview with police, Sires said she accompanied the resident to the bank and was standing at the teller desk during both transaction, but she denied stealing the money.

Sires initially was charged Jan. 9, but her case was continued several times. She was arrested Jan. 10 and posted a $20,000 bond. A July 15 arraignment is scheduled for her case.

Full Article & Source:
Moberly nursing home employee charged with financial exploitation

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Police: Former Nursing Home Employee Took Photos Of Dead Residents Because Her Ex-Boyfriend ‘Liked That Kind Of Thing’

READING, Pa. (CBS/AP) — Authorities say a former Pennsylvania nursing home employee took photographs of deceased residents and shared them with co-workers and friends. Stephanie Thomas, 28, of Muhlenberg Township, now faces corpse abuse charges.

According to an affidavit, Thomas admitted to taking the photos and did it because her ex-boyfriend “liked that kind of thing.”

Bern Township police said the deceased patients at the county-owned Berks Heim senior living facility were between the ages of 84 and 92.

Family members told police that they “were outraged such conduct would take place in a senior living facility.”

Authorities say an anonymous source tipped off police.

Attorney information for Thomas could not be found.

Berks Heim says Thomas no longer works at the nursing home.

Full Article & Source:
Police: Former Nursing Home Employee Took Photos Of Dead Residents Because Her Ex-Boyfriend ‘Liked That Kind Of Thing’

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Gulf Breeze nursing home employee accused of abusing elderly man

A certified nursing assistant in Gulf Breeze has been arrested.

27-year-old Kayla Oeth is facing felony charges after she was accused of abusing an elderly man.

KAYLA OETH. (SRCSO)
The alleged incident happened on August 10 at Bay Breeze Senior Living and Rehabilitation Center.

Sergeant Rich Aloy with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office confirmed a warrant was issued on September 16 - more than one month after the incident.

Oeth was arrested hours later.

"The allegation is that this individual put their hands on a senior citizen, to the point where there were some injuries," said Aloy.

According to a report from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, the victim's arms were bloodied and bruised from his wrists to his elbows.

The victim described Oeth as "violent and mean", and said he feared she would hurt him again, so he stayed in his wheelchair next to the nurses' station all night.

"It's zero tolerance for this kind of activity," said Aloy. "When you're dealing with an individual in an assisted living facility, they need help. They're looking to their caretakers for help."

Oeth claims the victim was in a "horrible mood" and his injuries were sustained as she was trying to help him into bed. She says he fought with her and spit in her face.

Another Bay Breeze employee was present at the time.

He told a deputy Oeth did not follow protocol. He says she failed to tell the victim what she was doing, causing him to become confused then "freak out", "flailing his arms".

Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille says it appears to be an isolated incident, but they do not take these cases lightly.

"One sanction that we would clearly seek is that that individual not be allowed to work in a health care facility in the future," said Marcille.

Marcille says they will be recommending the maximum sentence.

"The circumstances of this particular case, the maximum sentence is up to five years in state prison," said Marcille.

Justin Gibson, an administrator at Bay Breeze Senior Living and Rehabilitation Center, confirmed Oeth no longer works at the facility.

"We all have parents, we all have folks who we care for or may live with who are elderly and they look to us for assistance, and when something like this happens, it's very angering and it's also very sad," said Aloy.

Oeth is scheduled to appear in court on October 3.

Full Article & Source:
Gulf Breeze nursing home employee accused of abusing elderly man

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Woman claims mother was sexually assaulted by employee at Tucson nursing home

Click to Watch Video
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - An investigation is underway at a Tucson nursing home after a woman who lives at the facility reported she was sexually assaulted by an employee.

“Obviously, you can’t trust anybody," said Selina Poss, the resident’s daughter.

Poss said her 63-year-old mother receives around-the-clock care at Sapphire Tucson Nursing and Rehabilitation, 2900 E. Melber Street.

While she said the family had issues with her mother’s care before, it was a call over the weekend that stopped her in her tracks.

During the phone call, Poss said her mother told her she was sexually assaulted by a nurse tech she was unfamiliar with. The resident said, according to Poss, the man put his genitals in her hand and then started inappropriately touching her.

“He told her, ‘This is our secret,'" Poss said.

Poss claimed her mother told other employees what happened before their phone call, but nothing was done.

“They didn’t call. To me, an incident like that, you call somebody and then you get that person to the hospital so they can be tested," Poss said. "I mean, who knows how many other females he’s done this to?”

The Tucson Police Department confirmed a report was made Sunday, June 23. According to a case management document provided by Poss, a detective was assigned to the investigation Tuesday, June 25.

Poss said she is frustrated over the lack of help by the facility.

“They just give us every runaround. Nobody really talks, nobody says anything," Poss said. "Everything I’ve found out, I basically had to call, to make the report for my mom.”

KOLD News 13 reached out to Sapphire for information regarding the alleged sexual assault that occurred on or around June 21. In a statement, an administrator with the facility wrote:

“As with any allegation of abuse or neglect, senior living facilities are required to investigate, as well as inform the proper authorities. The investigation by the facility and the authorities is ongoing and will be concluded.”

“It’s hard to watch her. It’s hard to see what it’s done to her," Poss said. “She’s already had a traumatic life. She’s already had to go through stuff, I’m supposed to be her protector. I’m the one who is supposed to take care of her and I just feel like I failed.”

Poss said she plans to pursue legal action as they wait on test results taken at the hospital after the alleged sexual assault.

For the time being, Poss said her mother has been moved to another room at the facility on what she describes as a floor with more security. She said she is working with her mother’s insurance provider to get her moved into her home for care.

Poss said she won’t stop fighting for an answer. Not just for her mother, but for other residents at the facility.

“I’m going to do everything in my power ... to make sure this man is not going to do it again," Poss said.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, Sapphire of Tucson Nursing and Rehab, LLC has a quality rating of “B.”

The quality rating is based on results of the most recent licensing survey. AZDHS notes the quality rating does not necessarily reflect the facility’s current compliance.

The facility received 45 citations during a yearly survey in January. The severity of most of the citations were graded C, D, E or F, which ranges from “widespread minimal harm” to “potential for more than minimal harm.”

According to AZDHS online records, all of the citations were corrected by April.

KOLD News 13 reached out to the Arizona Department of Health Services for comment on the allegations. As of Tuesday evening, we had not yet heard back.

Full Article & Source:
Woman claims mother was sexually assaulted by employee at Tucson nursing home

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Nursing home employee accused of stealing nearly $400k from patient

A Minden woman who continued to work at a nursing home despite being accused in the past of abusing her position there is in trouble again.

This time, authorities say, she went even further. They accuse her of draining a resident’s bank and retirement accounts to the tune of $391,000.

Stephanie Sanders Hays, 49, the social services director at Leslie Lakes Retirement Center in Arcadia, was arrested Friday in a pharmacy parking lot in Minden.

She was booked on 15 counts of theft of the assets of a person who is aged or person with a disability, 19 counts of money laundering, 1 counts of forgery and 17 counts of exploitation of persons with infirmities.

She’s held in the Bienville Parish jail on a $300,000 bond.

Hays allegedly executed several schemes from September 2012 through February 2016 to gain access to the financial assets of at least one resident of Leslie Lakes, according to a news release from Attorney General Jeff Landry, whose Louisiana Department of Justice lead the investigation with the assistance of the Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office and Minden Police Department.

Hays allegedly abused her power of attorney authority over the affairs of a resident – draining a bank account, IRAs, annuity plan, and proceeds from the sale of the resident’s home. She also allegedly shopped for items requested by the residents at local Walmart stores with forged retirement center checks. A portion of the funds included Social Security payments, pension payments and German reparation payments.

“Our office fights daily to protect our state’s seniors and sick. Criminals preying on Louisiana’s most vulnerable will investigated, apprehended, and prosecuted,” said Landry. “It is a disgusting travesty for the elderly, especially Holocaust survivors, to be scammed and robbed by those supposedly caring for them. I hope to get justice for our victims very soon.”

Hays was arrested in December 2013 on a charge of unauthorized use of a moveable after Hays admitted to using a deceased resident’s cell phone to send text messages. The deceased resident’s wife discovered the phone was being used despite assurances from the administrator it was secured.

Hays was not jailed for the offense. Instead, former District Attorney Johnathan Stewart placed her on pre-trial diversion.

Full Article & Source:
Nursing home employee accused of stealing nearly $400k from patient