A Nursing Home Aide in Cortland, NY has pleaded guilty to stealing a credit card from one of the patients under her care. Hope Pearson, a Certified Nurse Aide at the Crown Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation on Kellogg Road in Cortland, pleaded guilty to criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, a felony. Pearson, and codefendant, Schenekqua Carter activated the resident’s credit/debit card and illegally charged over $5,000 on the card after checking it’s available balance. The women used the card at multiple locations including a casino and numerous different stores and ATM’s.
Pearson’s sentencing is scheduled for October 4, 2016. Carter entered a similar plea and was previously sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay restitution. The state Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case. “Nursing home residents are amongst our state’s most vulnerable citizens, and they deserve to be treated with the utmost respect and dignity by those in charge of their care. For a certified nurse aide to steal from someone whose wellbeing is their primary responsibility is reprehensible. Nursing home professionals who seek to profit by stealing from defenseless residents will be held accountable,” said NYS Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman.
In December of 2014 another incident involving nursing staff occurred at the Crown Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. Nursing Aide, Noelle Otto, was accused of physically assaulting a female resident on December 5, 2016 and lying about the incident. She was charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, and willful violation of health laws. According to Federal regulations 483.13(b) – Abuse and 483.13(c)(1)(i) — Staff treatment of residents, the resident has the right to be free from verbal, sexual, physical, and mental abuse, corporal punishment, and involuntary seclusion. The facility must develop and implement written policies and procedures that prohibit mistreatment, neglect, and abuse of residents and misappropriation of resident property. During an inspection in January 2016, the Cortland facility received a like health deficiency related to: 1) Hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents; or 2) report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect or mistreatment of residents. During the most recent survey, the Crown Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation received a total of 22 deficiencies in the following categories: 13 Health, 7 Fire Safety, and 2 Mistreatment.
The Crown Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Cortland, NY is a 200 bed for profit-partnership healthcare facility. It provides both Medicaid and Medicare services. The Crown Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation has received a total of 109 citations versus the statewide average of 39 over its last 5 inspections, during the period between June 1, 2012 and May 31, 2016. It received an overall rating of 1 star from the Department of Health and Human Services on January 28, 2016. This rating is compared to a NY average of 3.01 and a National average of 3.04. Ratings are out of 5 with 5 being the best and 1 being the worst.
If you or a loved one has suffered neglect, abuse, or mistreatment at a nursing home, please do not hesitate to contact the passionate and experienced nursing home abuse attorneys at the Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC today.
Website References:
http://nursinghomerating.org/NY/crown+center+for+nursing+%3B+rehabilitation/335392/
