A former nurse aid at the St. Anne’s Home in Rochester, New York was arrested and charged in July 2013 for allegedly posting a video on Facebook of a resident being harassed. If convicted, the former aide, Ericha Brown, 23, faces up to one year in prison. According to Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, Brown violated the Nursing Home Patient Bill of Rights and was charged with three counts of Willful Violation of the Health Laws.
While still an employee at St. Anne’s Home, Brown allegedly took a video of a wheelchair-bound patient being harassed, and then posted the video, along with audio, on Facebook in October 2012. The video showed a hand briefly tug at the back of the patient’s hair. In addition, voices in the video are heard taunting the patient. A group of voices, being somewhat inaudible, is heard in the video telling the patient in effect, “The boss lady said that if you don’t wash the dishes, she will slap the black off you…and she called you a bitch.”
Being somewhat inaudible, one voice says something to the effect, “She is a troublemaker. This lady is playing mind games with you. She will have you jumping out the window.”
A voice is also heard saying to the patient something to the effect of, “You owe me an apology. I’m so tired of you attacking me all the time.”
Speaking about the charges against Brown, Schneiderman stated, “The families of nursing home patients should never have to doubt that their loved ones are in the best of care. Ensuring that New York’s elderly are being protected and treated with respect by their caregivers is and will continue to be a priority of my office.”
Brown was arraigned before Judge Charles Crimi in Rochester City Court.
Website Resource: N.Y.S. Attorney General Press Release
