A caregiver at a Michigan nursing home has been charged with assault and torture after allegedly punching a 93-year-old woman. The abuse was captured on surveillance video.
Dontia Shaunla Arrington, 26, was charged with molestation, cruelty or intent to inflict extreme physical or emotional suffering on a vulnerable person in a stomach-turning incident at Landings of Genesee Valley Facility. He was charged with torture and assault with intent to cause bodily harm. WNEM-TV News reported.
“You can see the vulnerability of the victim and the fact that she was being beaten with two or three pounds of dirty diapers,” Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson told the outlet.
“But that’s not enough. If she puts her hands on her throat and strangles her, it can kill a person, especially a 93-year-old.”
“This is severe dementia,” the sheriff added. “[The victim] I don’t understand what’s going on. She can’t handle what we deal with on a regular basis. ”
The video, captured by a nanny camera set up at the facility by the victim’s relatives, appears to show Arrington jumping off the steering wheel after the elderly patient, who suffers from dementia, soiled himself.
The caregiver slapped the woman with a dirty diaper and strangled her with her hands.
“I was appalled,” Genesee County Attorney David Layton told WNEM about the video.
“I was disgusted and very angry,” Leighton said. “And I told my chief of staff.” [Genesee County Prosecutor Tamara] Phillips: “We need to prosecute this woman as harshly as possible.”
If Arrington is convicted on all charges, he could face life in prison.
She was ordered held on $45,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, the outlet said.
