Criminal Neglect

The Tallahassee Democrat reported on the criminal neglect of a nursing home resident. The staff left a female resident unattended on a bedside commode for several hours. According to court records, a staff member placed the woman on the commode at 8:20 p.m. Jan. 2. Then, the caregiver instructed Shantika Cuyler to put her to bed. But Cuyler never went back to assist the woman. The woman was unable to transfer herself off the commode. Staff found the resident on the floor six hours later.

Fortunately, the family had installed a camera in her room. Video captured the woman’s ordeal. The resident was on the video “moaning and crying” for hours. She repeatedly pleaded “help me.” How could this happen? Why would they ignore her pleas?

The two employees were even spotted by surveillance cameras “taking selfies for about an hour and a half.”  Finally, police arrested Shantika Cuyler for criminal neglect of a disabled adult. The charge is a third-degree felony. I’m not sure why police only arrested one caregiver.

The Florida Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the incident. It was the second time she had been left on the floor of the apartment. The first time, “her mother was left on the floor for five hours,” according to an arrest report.

What a horrible experience. This should never happen to anyone. I’m glad they had video proof. I hope they get justice and compensation.