Nursing Home Employee Accused of Stealing from Elderly Hurricane Michael Refugee
Deputies with the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office confirmed during a press release on November 1st that they have formerly charged a former nursing home employee with financially abusing a 94-year-old victim who was fleeing Hurricane Michael.
Nursing Home Worker Accused of Financially Abusing Hurricane Michael Victim
According to police reports, the suspect was working at Blue Ridge Healthcare in Sumter. A 94-year-old resident had recently been transported to Blue Ridge Healthcare after being evacuated from Georgetown due to Hurricane Michael. Days after becoming a resident at the facility, the 94-year-old resident noticed some strange charges on her credit card. The unauthorized charges totaled over $600, and they were all dated from October 9th and 10th. Candida Benita Chin, the 45-year-old nursing home employee, was on-duty on October 9th and 10th. It was later revealed that the employee took the resident’s credit card and made at least four charges on her account. She was taken into police custody and charged with the exploitation of a vulnerable adult
Signs of Financial Elder Abuse in NJ
In this case, the perpetrator was successfully apprehended. Sadly, financial elder abuse often goes unreported because vulnerable elderly victims may not even be aware that they are being stolen from. In addition, perpetrators of financial elder abuse are almost always someone the victim trusts. In many situations, the perpetrator is a caregiver such as the suspect. It’s important for family members who have elderly loved ones to be vigilant about the warning signs of financial abuse. These types of scams may range from stealing the victim’s credit card information to tricking victims into giving money through a fraudulent scam. Following are some of the symptoms and warning signs of financial elder abuse to look out for:
- Unexplained bank withdrawals or transfers
- Evidence of unpaid bills
- Close caregivers who have financial difficulties, drug addiction or alcohol issues
- Unexplained ATM withdrawals
- Substandard care despite an ability to pay
- Missing property
- Forged documents or checks
- The victim has difficulty understanding their own financial situation
- Explanations for expenditures from caregivers are implausible
- There is a lack of documentation regarding financial arrangements
- The elderly victim seems afraid of having basic necessities withheld
- Lack of food in the household when the victim has a caregiver
- The elderly victim spends a large amount of time on the internet and sends money online
- Sudden changes in the elderly’s behavior
Contact a Somerville Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer to Discuss Your Case Today
Seniors in nursing homes and other care facilities deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Additionally, nursing home staff needs to ensure that patients are safe and secure at all times. If your loved one suffered an injury, or worse, due to nursing home negligence or abuse in New Jersey, you need to speak with a qualified attorney. The experienced nursing home neglect attorneys at Sugarman Law represent clients throughout New Jersey, including Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, Clifton, Trenton, Camden, Passaic, Union City, Bayonne, East Orange, Vineland, New Brunswick, Hoboken. Call (866) 657-5660 or fill out the online contact form to schedule a consultation today. We have an office conveniently located at 80 E Main St, Somerville, NJ 08876, as well as offices in Marlton, NJ.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
