Chicago Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog

Six teenagers working as nursing assistants at a nursing home have been charged with abusing elderly residents suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The names of four of the teens are being kept confidential, because they were minors when the alleged nursing home abuse incidents occurred and are charged as juveniles. They face criminal charges of failing to report the nursing home abuse incidents. One of the teens says the aides would get together at school or at work to joke about the alleged elderly abuse.

The two other teenagers, 18-year-old Ashton Larson and 19-year-old Brianna Broitzman, are charged as adults. Larson and Broitzman are charged with the gross misdemeanor crimes of abuse of a vulnerable adult with sexual conduct, abuse of a vulnerable adult by a caregiver, assault, failing to report suspected maltreatment, and disorderly conduct.

While eight teen nursing aides in total were allegedly involved in the nursing home abuse incidents, no charges have been filed against two of them. All of the teen nursing assistants worked for the Good Samaritan Society.

The criminal complaint reports that the teens laughed while groping residents' breasts, spitting in their mouths, and harassing them until they screamed. During one alleged incident, Broitzman is accused of putting her “bare butt” in a resident’s face. In other incidents, Larson allegedly spit water at a resident, put her finger into another resident’s rectum, and roughly bathe another resident so he would become aroused.

A report released by the state’s health department found that 15 residents suffering from dementia disorders were the victims of nursing home abuse at the home between January 1 and May 1, 2008.

Nursing homes are responsible for making sure that the nurses, doctors, aides, and other staffers they are hire are qualified and properly trained to work with and take care of residents. They must also make sure that nursing home employees are properly supervised while ensuring that residents do not become the victims of nursing home abuse or neglect.

6 teens charged in Albert Lea nursing home abuse, KARE.com, December 2, 2008

Teens Charged In Nursing Home Abuse, The Smoking Gun, December 2, 2008

Related Web Resource:

Read Portions of the Criminal Complaint, The Smoking Gun