Florida Nursing Home Employee Pawns Rings Taken from Resident
An employee of a Florida nursing home was recently arrested and charged with stealing two rings from an 88-year-old resident. She was booked in the county jail on charges of grand theft and exploitation of the elderly.
The local police were called by the nursing home to investigate after the resident walked from her room and began yelling that someone had stolen her rings. When the police interviewed the resident, she told them that an employee came into her room to remove the breakfast tray and volunteered to clean the woman’s rings. The employee removed the rings from the resident’s fingers and walked away. When the employee did not return, the resident became worried and alerted the staff.
An affidavit indicated that the resident had identified the worker, who denied taking the rings.
The worker allowed herself to be searched, but the jewelry was not found. The investigation continued, and two days later the rings were located in an area pawn shop. Surveillance video provided by the pawn shop owner showed the suspected employee pawning the rings—a gold wedding ring and another gold gemstone ring. The rings were confirmed to belong to the resident.
After her arrest, the county judge ordered the suspected thief to be held on a $15,000 bond.
Compliance Perspective
Misappropriation of personal possessions of residents by staff members may be considered abuse and exploitation that infringes on residents’ rights and is deemed provision of substandard quality of care, in violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures regarding staff members’ responsibility to protect residents’ personal property and financial resources.
- Train staff regarding the facility’s policies and procedures for protecting residents and their possessions from abuse and exploitation.
- Periodically audit by interviewing residents and family members to determine if there are any unreported incidents involving missing personal property. Remind residents during Resident Council Meetings to keep valuables in their locked drawers or boxes and to report any attempt to misappropriate their valuables under the guise of cleaning them or any other proposed action.
