ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. — It's a tough family decision a lot of us have to face: putting an elderly loved one into a nursing home.
But to find out your loved one is being abused is devastating.
Attorney General Anthony Brown says he is working to make sure that doesn't happen anymore, as he announced multiple convictions for caretakers abusing patients.
Of the three gut-wrenching cases presented at the news conference, one highlighted a woman found guilty of abusing multiple 80-year-old patients. One with Alzheimer's, another with dementia. The attorney general's office got word of this crime after it was posted on social media.
A heartbroken daughter of one of the victims is finally ready to speak out after the abuser's conviction.
"It was the most powerful and painful thing that I have ever experienced in my life," says Terri McCoy, daughter of adult abuse victim.
McCoy's 80-year-old mother suffered from dementia. She was placed in an Anne Arundel County nursing home. Under the watch of a caretaker, she became the victim of abuse, brazenly posted online.
"After our mother was assaulted, bullied, and abused by the employee at the facility who laughed throughout the whole video, our mother changed. We could all see it. She was on guard. It was like she lost trust in people," says McCoy.
Her mother was one of two victims Janae Alston abused. She's been sentenced to ten years in jail.
The news conference gave Attorney General Brown an opportunity to let families know... No one has to suffer in silence.
"We are in Annapolis working with the general assembly, working on proposed legislation to grant our office the power to enforce the residents bill of rights for individuals in long term care and assistant living facilities by providing them tools to stop abuse and neglect in the states nursing homes and assistant living facilities," says Attorney General Brown.
Often times, they have a case where they go in and see abuse or violation of a patients bill of rights while they investigate to bring civil or criminal charges. As of now, they don't have the tools to stop the conduct. They are looking for relief.
"This case drives home the importance of cameras in cases involving vulnerable adults. People who in many cases suffer from communication or memory issues that prevent them from advocating for themselves. Video is powerful evidence in any case. It's essential in these cases," says Attorney General Brown.
McCoy has yet to see the video of her mother being abused. She believes she did all she could to ensure her mother was in good hands. Despite the heinous crime, she's grateful the attorney general's office stepped in and took this case very seriously.
"There's some form of relief... I can't honestly say that I feel like she should've gotten more time or she shouldn't have gotten more time. I just feel like justice will never be served for what my mother endured," says McCoy.
Medicaid fraud and vulnerable victims unit has multiple ways to report adult abuse.
You can call their hotline phone number at 410-576-6521.
Email them at medicaidfraud@oag.state.md.us
You can visit their website here.
