Nursing Home Workers Arrested After Being Caught Beating Residents
© Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Seargent Amanda Sinni issued a press release on Tuesday an incident that occurred at a Florida nursing home. 21-year-old Rosa Edwards (Left) and 19-year-old Aneisha Hall (Right) have been arrested and charged with two counts of battery after surveillance video showed them attacking a male resident.
Two Nursing home workers in Florida have been arrested after police say surveillance footage showed the employees whipping an elderly resident.
According to the Nursing Home Abuse Justice organization, nursing home abuse affects thousands of families every year. "In 2020 alone, over 15,000 complaints filed with nursing home ombudsmen were about abuse or neglect."
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Seargent Amanda Sinni issued a press release on Tuesday about the incident.
The employees, 21-year-old Rosa Edwards and 19-year-old Aneisha Hall have been arrested and charged with two counts of battery on a person 65 years of age or older. The pair have also been suspended from work pending official termination.
The alleged incident between the two suspects and an elderly resident took place on March 12 at the Inspired Living at Ivy Ridge Assisted Living Facility, located at 7179 40th Avenue North in Unincorporated St. Petersburg.
Surveillance footage showed the two women allegedly whipping an elderly male resident with a lanyard and laughing, which resulted in a further altercation.
At the time, the elderly resident was pushing a female resident in her wheelchair.
"Edwards and Hall proceeded to grab the male resident and take him to the ground as he continued to hold on to the wheelchair, causing it to fall sideways with the female resident in it," according to the police press release.
"Both Edwards and Hall then ran away from the area of the incident and out of view of the camera, leaving both elderly residents laying on the ground.
"According to deputies, Hall and Edwards reported the incident to their co-worker, however they stated that the male resident battered the female resident, and they were not involved.
"Deputies located Hall and Edwards and while Edwards was interviewed, she admitted to using excessive force when dealing with the incident and stated that they should have handled it differently."
Neither resident involved in the incident sustained any injuries.
Newsweek has contacted the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office via email for comment.
"A 2018 National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) report states that people living in nursing homes are vulnerable to various forms of abuse by staff and other residents alike."
The NCVC breaks down the types of nursing home abuse into 6 main categories.
Of those abused, 29 percent experienced physical abuse, 22 percent resident-on-resident abuse (physical or sexual), 21 percent psychological abuse, 14 percent gross neglect,7 percent sexual abuse, and another 7 percent experienced financial exploitation.
To caveat this date, the charity added: "Like all other crimes, though, not every case of nursing home abuse gets reported, and researchers are trying to determine exact figures. This is further complicated because some seniors may be unwilling — or unable — to report their experiences."
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