Central Florida Assisted Living Center Worker Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing From Residents
A female employee at an Ormond Beach assisted living center was arrested recently and accused of stealing from people under her care. One of the more egregious accusations came from a 99-year-old resident who told police that the worker had taken her wedding ring off her finger. The accused, a 26-year-old Daytona Beach woman, faces one charge each of grand theft and exploitation of an elderly person, and Ormond Beach police expect to file additional charges against the woman in the near future. Orlando personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham would like to remind readers that theft is a form of nursing home abuse. As a longtime nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer serving residents in Central Florida, he has helped countless residents receive the damages they need to recover from the abuse they have suffered and move to other assisted living facilities.
Officers were alerted to the thefts when the relative of one of the patients reported a ring missing from her relative’s belongings. Administrators at Signature Health Care conducted an informal investigation and discovered that other items from other patients had also gone missing. After being alerted by the administrators, police examined work schedules and cross-referenced them with the times when items disappeared. After conducting interviews, police narrowed their interest to the suspect, who they eventually arrested. After initially denying responsibility for the missing items, the worker eventually admitted taking a bracelet and ring from one of the residents. However, she denied any responsibility for a missing cell phone and an undisclosed sum of cash. She is being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail on $1,500 bail.
As difficult as it is to consider, residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are easy prey for unscrupulous people. They have limited mobility and are easily intimidated by abusers who threaten further abuse if their victims report the abuse. Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham is a fierce advocate for the rights of people who live in these facilities and spares no expense helping them get the fair and just compensation the deserve. If you know or suspect that someone is suffering any kind of abuse in a nursing home, please call your local police department and report it. If you want to speak with a Florida nursing home abuse attorney to learn more about victims’ rights and legal options, call Mr. Cunningham today at 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 to schedule a free consultation.
James O. Cunningham
Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.
