A Texas nursing home fired two caretakers after they were caught on camera beating a senior amputee suffering from arthritis. Both caretakers are now facing charges, according to officials with the Texas City Police Department.
Lisa Cooper, 61, and Keycia Johnson, 57, former employees at Solidago Health and Rehabilitation, both turned themselves in on Thursday and were detained at the Galveston County Jail. They were charged with injuring an elderly person, which is a second-degree felony, and their bail was set at $100,000.
A report of an 87-year-old man being assaulted by two caregivers at a nearby nursing home in the 1700 block of 25th Street North was filed with Texas City police on October 2.
The women were terminated after being immediately suspended, according to the nursing home in Texas City.
The man, who is an amputee and has arthritis, is apparently shown being kicked, pushed, and thrown by the caregivers in the surveillance footage.
The man’s grandson, Lizandro Solis, stated, “They knew the camera was there.” “It wasn’t a secret. We posted a notice that read, ‘Video Surveillance in Room’ on my grandpa’s door.”
The footage, according to Solis, also depicts the two ladies pushing the curtain closed while holding a clinched fist “like she’s about to pound on him.”
According to the grandson, the three people—the two women and the man—stood behind the drawn curtain for 15 to 20 minutes.
“Just think about it; they did it to him,” Solis said. “How many old folks have they been abusing in this way?” he asked.
The statement from the nursing home, Solidago Health and Rehabilitation reads:
“We value the investigation and response taken by local authorities in relation to the distressing situation that took place on Sunday, October 2. In order to keep our residents secure, Solidago Health and Rehabilitation continues to implement stringent standards that forbid patient abuse. Any violations of the abuse policy are reported to the relevant authorities for remedial action, as was done in this instance.”
“We started an internal investigation concurrently with the external investigation, and the employees were suspended right away. The employees engaged in the incident were fired as a result of breaking company rules when the internal investigation was completed.”
“In order to find innovative ways to improve current safety and health measures for our residents, we will keep reviewing our systems and methods.”
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