Newsfeed – Sunday, April 13, 2014
The newsfeed includes articles and stories related to abuse of elders and adults with disabilities. Articles related to elders appear in the top half of the newsfeed. Articles related to abuse of adults with disabilities appear towards the bottom. To subscribe to the NCEA listserv, please send an email with your name, occupation, your organization/agency name, city and state, and a statement about your professional interest or expertise in elder abuse to NCEA@UCI.edu. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! An archived collection of previous newsfeeds is available here: http://ncea.posthaven.com/
A calendar of upcoming elder abuse and neglect events and funding opportunities can be found at the bottom of the newsfeed.
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ELDER ABUSE NEWSFEED
ALABAMA (Anniston), The Anniston Star, April 8, 2014
Suspect scammed Anniston man of $35K, police say
An 83-year-old Anniston man answered his phone last month, and the subsequent conversations may have cost him thousands of dollars. The man reported to police Friday that someone allegedly representing a bank in Hong Kong called him at home, telling him he’d won $500,000.
CALIFORNIA (Los Angeles), Los Angeles Times, April 7, 2014
Ex-patient accuses Cedars-Sinai of negligence in alleged sex assault
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-cedars-sinai-lawsuit-20140407,0,7548210.story#axzz2ycSkoKLD
A former patient at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center accused the hospital of negligence in a lawsuit filed Monday in which she said she was sexually assaulted last year by a certified nursing assistant after she underwent surgery. The woman alleged in the suit that the hospital failed to adequately respond to complaints of sexual assaults that accused the same employee dating back more than a decade.
CALIFORNIA (Santa Barbara), Santa Barbara, April 11, 2014
Fraudster Sentenced to Probation. Avoids Prison After Stealing $700,000 From Elderly Victim
http://www.independent.com/news/2014/apr/10/fraudster-sentence-probation/?on
Rosemary Baugh, the 57-year-old woman who pleaded no contest to bilking 80-year-old wealthy businessperson now suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s — out of more than $700,000, was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay a $500,000 fine, make restitution for an amount to be worked out in a later trial, undergo mental-health treatment, and stay away from the older adults residence.
CALIFORNIA (Santa Barbara), Santa Barbara Independent, April 11, 2014
Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Punching Elderly Victim
http://www.independent.com/news/2014/apr/07/man-sentenced-eight-years-punching-elderly-victim/?on
The 48-year-old man who punched a 71-year-old man during an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in 2012 was sentenced to eight years in state prison on Friday. The elder abuse statute can apply to a victim of great bodily injury who is 65 years old or older. But because the victim, was more than 70 years old at the time of the incident, Doug Stekkinger received a five year enhancement.
GEORGIA (Bibb County), The Telegraph, April 8, 2014
Woman accused of withholding 96-year-old's care to get money
http://www.macon.com/2014/04/08/3036613/woman-accused-of-withholding-96.html
Bibb County grand jurors indicted a 49-year-old Macon woman Tuesday on allegations she verbally abused and withheld care from a 96-year-old woman to get money. The abuse and exploitation allegedly occurred between Aug. 20, 2013 and Sept. 5, 2013, according to the indictment.
ILLINOIS (Tazewell County), Ciproud.com, April 9, 2014
New Law Could Shed Light on Elder Abuse
“The problem is huge and it's only going to continue to grow as our population ages,” said Joyce Derenzy, director of adult protective services at the Center for Prevention of Abuse. She said the six locations throughout Central Illinois work with about 300 of those clients every month. A new state law means the Center for Prevention of Abuse can now give the coroner a list of names of current clients. The coroner can cross reference his list of deaths with people who have been abused in the past.
IOWA (Mason City), KTTC, April 7, 2014
Iowa police: Living center worker left residents
http://www.kttc.com/story/25179612/woman-accused-in-iowa-of-neglecting-adult
An employee at a Mason City living center has been accused of abandoning residents during an early morning shift. The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office says 54-year-old employee, of Rudd, was arrested Sunday. She faces six counts of neglect or abandonment of a dependent person and nine counts of wanton neglect of a dependent adult.
MARYLAND (Hagerstown), FOX 45, April 9, 2014
More charges for Md. man in grandparents' slaying
A Washington County grand jury is adding seven counts to the murder and assault charges facing a Keedysville man in fatal stabbing of his grandparents. 19-year-old Joseph William Minoglio is charged with killing 84-year-old Joseph Michael Minoglio and 78-year-old Peggy Minoglio on March 15 in the home they shared.
MINNESOTA, Star Tribune, April 8, 2014
Caregiver, victim reach $10 million settlement in rape case
http://www.startribune.com/local/254377311.html
The male caregiver who drugged and raped an 89-year-old woman last year at a northern Minnesota senior home has agreed to a $10 million settlement in a lawsuit that arose from the incident. The convicted rapist, Andrew Merzwski, 30, will be required to pay the money only if he is convicted of another sexual crime or is found guilty or liable of abusing a vulnerable adult during the next 10 years, according to a settlement agreement reached in late March.
MINNESOTA (Duluth), The Jamestown Sun, April 8, 2014
Nursing home rapist, victim reach settlement
http://www.jamestownsun.com/content/nursing-home-rapist-victim-reach-settlement
The Duluth man who raped an 89-year-old resident of the Edgewood Vista independent living facility in Hermantown, where he worked as a certified nursing assistant, has agreed to a settlement with the victim. Andrew Scott Merzwski signed a confession of judgment and stipulation March 21, agreeing to the facts alleged by the plaintiffs and authorizing the judgment.
MISSOURI (Columbia), FOX 22 KQFX, April 9, 2014
Woman arrested for Columbia elder abuse
http://www.abc17news.com/news/police-looking-for-woman-in-elder-abuse-case/25398752
According to court documents, 54-year-old Melodie Owings neglected to take care of 77-year-old Earl Kemp at his home on 1601 west Worley Street between June and August 2013. The documents said the home was filled with cockroaches, trash, and clothes. The garage had been converted into a bedroom, and Kemp no longer had a room to sleep in in his own home.
MISSOURI (Cooper County), Columbia Daily Tribune, April 10, 2014
Boonville woman faces abuse charge
A 54-year-old Boonville woman wanted on suspicion of abusing an elderly man she cared for last year was arrested Wednesday. The woman is accused of neglecting a 77-year-old man in her care, leaving his house filthy, allowing several people to live there, taking over his bedroom and forcing him to sleep on his couch and use a bucket for a toilet.
NEW JERSEY, New Jersey Law Journal, April 4, 2014
N.J. Lawyer Misused Finances of Elderly Women, U.S. Judge Finds
A federal judge on Friday found a New Jersey lawyer liable for exerting undue influence on his mother and another relative in order to siphon off their savings for his personal use. John Sogliuzzo, of West Orange, was also liable for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, malicious misrepresentation and fraudulent concealment, U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton held after a five-day bench trial.
NEW JERSEY, My Central Jersey, April 9, 2014
Rutgers alerts vulnerable populations to post-disaster scams
As if natural disasters aren’t bad enough, a parade of con artists always follows in the wake of these catastrophes. They prey on vulnerable victims, many of whom are elderly or may have functional or cognitive limitations. The scamming often begins hours after the event and can extend for months and years, as it has following superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Katrina.
SOUTH CAROLINA (Darlington County), The Times and Democrat, April 9, 2014
90-year-old woman tricked into paying $45K for work
Two Darlington County men have been arrested and two more are wanted after police say a 90-year-old Orangeburg woman was scammed out of an estimated $45,000 for fictitious home repairs. Both men were charged with charged with exploitation of a vulnerable adult and business license violations.
TENNESSEE, Johnson City Press, April 9, 2014
Crowe's elderly abuse bill passes Tennessee Senate
http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/article/116304/crowes-elderly-abuse-bill-passes-tennessee-senate
The state Senate passed legislation on Wednesday sponsored by Sen. Rusty Crowe to protect elderly and adults with disabilities from abuse. Senate Bill 1852 increases punishment for adult abuse, exploitation or neglect from a Class E to a Class D felony.
TENNESSEE (Sullivan County), WCYB, April 10, 2014
More jail time possible for those convicted of abusing the elderly
http://www.wcyb.com/news/more-jail-time-possible-for-those-convicted-of-abusing-the-elderly/25419462
Earlier this month a Sullivan County woman was charged with willful abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult after police say she neglected to properly care for a 75-year-old for whom she was the caretaker. Prosecutors tell us elder abuse is a growing problem in our area, but a new bill in the Tennessee legislature could mean stiffer penalties for those who harm our older community members.
UTAH (American Fork), Utah Valley Crime Watch: Daily Herald, April 9, 2014
Orem man sentenced to prison in stepfather's death
Strider Diem was originally arrested in June 2013 and charged with multiple felony counts after getting into an altercation with his 79-year-old stepfather, Melvin Rowley, who died following the fracas. Diem pleaded guilty in January to homicide by assault and aggravated assault of a vulnerable adult, both third-degree felonies.
WASHINGTON (Tacoma), King 5, April 9, 2014
Elder fraud abuse cases on the rise in Pierce County
http://www.king5.com/news/cities/tacoma/Elder-Fraud-Abuse-Cases-on-the-Rise-254639961.html
More and more cases of elder abuse are coming to the forefront, and the Pierce County Prosecutor's office is taking measures to address the issue. Since the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney's Office began tracking the numbers, it saw the number of cases referred and prosecuted rise from 19 cases in 2011 to 50 in 2013.
INTERNATIONAL (United Kingdom), Catholic Herald, April 4, 2014
Pope Francis says elderly people are dying because of neglect
Pope Francis has urged young people not to neglect the elderly who are dying “because no one cares for them”. He said "… the elderly are pushed away, many elderly die because of a sort of hidden euthanasia, because no one cares for them and they die.”
ABUSE OF ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES
FLORIDA, Gainesville, April 9, 2014
Despite beating, rapper returns to his street corner
Rafael Torres was still wearing a hospital bracelet when he resumed dancing and rapping Wednesday afternoon. On Tuesday, Surveillance video shows Jerome Henderson followed Torres into the restaurant and attacked him, hitting Torres in the face and shoving him into a table, police said. Henderson then walked out of the restaurant and threatened Torres, saying that if he ever saw Torres singing and dancing on the corner again, Henderson would harm him, the report said.
FLORIDA (Orlando), NEWS 13, April 9, 2014
Caregiver arrested for abusing mentally disabled adult
Attorney General Pam Bondi today announced the arrest of a caregiver for one felony count of abusing a mentally disabled person. The man was arrested for one count of abuse of a mentally disabled person, a third degree felony. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines. The case will be prosecuted by the Orange County State Attorney's Office.
KENTUCKY (Lexington), LEX 18, April 7, 2014
Former Oakwood Employee Pleads Guilty To Lesser Charges In Abuse Case
http://www.lex18.com/news/former-oakwood-employee-pleads-guilty-to-lesser-charges-in-abuse-case
A former Oakwood Manor employee charged with abuse and neglect pleaded guilty to lesser charges in court Monday. Coty King, 22, was sentenced to four years of probation Monday afternoon. He was one of three men accused of enticing a disabled adult to hit another patient at Oakwood and recording it on his phone.
UTAH (Sandy), Salt Lake City Fox 13 News, April 11, 2014
Suspected heroin supplier arrested
http://fox13now.com/2014/04/11/suspected-heroin-supplier-arrested/
A man suspected of being a major supplier of heroin to the Salt Lake Valley has been booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail. The 26-year-old faces several felony charges, including distribution of a controlled substance, engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, endangerment of a child or vulnerable adult and money laundering.
INTERNATIONAL (United Kingdom), Derry Journal, April 11, 2014
Stole from ‘vulnerable, elderly’ man
http://www.derryjournal.com/news/local-news/stole-from-vulnerable-elderly-man-1-5995427
A carer who stole from a ‘vulnerable elderly person’ has been jailed for four months. Derry Magistrates Court heard the 47-year-old was a carer for a ‘very vulnerable and elderly person whose faculties were sadly diminished’ and who it believed has since died.
INTERNATIONAL (Sharpthorne, United Kingdom), East Grinstead Courier, April 11, 2014
Care home for people with brain injuries was 'putting residents at risk'
A home for people with brain damage and both learning and physical disabilities has been putting its residents at risk of injury and abuse – with one suffering a fractured shin bone and another a bruised back because of inadequate care. A Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection at Horncastle Care Centre, in Sharpthorne, found that staff shortages, inadequate record keeping and a failure to notify the authorities of serious incidents were putting residents at risk.
RELATED ISSUES
OREGON (Portland), KATU, April 9, 2014
Thieves steal wheelchair ramp from disabled senior
http://www.katu.com/news/local/Wheelchair--254655721.html
A Northeast Portland woman is trapped in her house after her wheelchair ramp is ripped off. Without the funds to buy a new one, the woman worries how her and her disabled son will be able to get out in an emergency.
PENNSYLVANIA, New Pittsburgh Courier, April 8, 2014
Who knows best? Dispute over disabled man’s care magnifies guardianship’s complexities
Nancy Pantoni has been trying since 2010 to change legal guardianship of her 27-year-old son, who has intense special needs because of a genetic disorder. She can visit for one hour a month. No phone calls. And she said she’s not informed when he’s admitted to the hospital or his medications have changed. A state Supreme Court task force is in the process of studying the guardianship process and how it should be monitored, among other elder-law issues.
TEXAS (Dallas), My FOX Dallas-Fort Worth, April 9, 2014
Red Oak man with dementia missing
http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/25200793/red-oak-man-with-dementia-missing
Police in Red Oak, south of Dallas, are looking for an older man with dementia. The 65-year-old is described as being 5 feet 7 inches tall and 230 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
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Upcoming Elder Abuse Conferences/Training Events (in chronological order):
- 14th Annual International Family Justice Conference “The Root of All Crime” is April 2-4, 2014 in San Diego, CA. The conference will include training and interactive peer to peer discussions on issues related to the handling of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, elder abuse and stalking cases with special focus on law enforcement response, criminal prosecution, civil legal assistance, and advocacy. For more information click here: https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/default.aspx?EventID=1231094
· A Webinar on “Nursing Home Admissions Agreements: A Discussion of the Unfair Terms in the Agreements Presented to Elders on Entering a Nursing Home” will be held Wednesday, Apr 2, 2014 2pm EDT. This free webinar is part of a series of National Elder Rights Training Project webinars for the National Legal Resource Center. This webinar will focus on nursing home admissions agreements, identifying the terms that elders and their advocates should be most wary of and explaining the protections that some states afford against enforcement of some of these terms. Though presenters will cover a range of issues, we will focus on arbitration clauses, attempts to hold family members liable for a resident’s bills, purported waivers of a facility’s liability, and improper grounds for eviction. Register here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/716487744
- The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), and various senior advocacy and criminal justice experts will be speaking on April 10, 2014, for a free, day-long, online event to learn how to spot the warning signs of elder abuse and financial fraud, and how to combat these heinous crimes. This event is available to the public, and seniors, seniors’ caregivers, law enforcement, social services, adult protective services, and people with elderly relatives are highly encouraged to attend. Those who wish to attend can register here: http://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=2155&seid=268
- 2nd Annual Michigan Elder Justice & At-Risk Adult Summit "The Big Idea" is May 1, 2014, at the Lansing Center in Lansing, MI, presented by the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Human Services. Speakers include; Dr. Scott Model (Victims with Developmental Disabilities), Robert Spada (Current Trends in Vulnerable Adult Abuse Investigation and Prosecution), David Tanay (The Attorney General's Role in vulnerable Adult Abuse Investigation), Catherine Emerson (Human Trafficking of Vulnerable Adults), and Dr. Kevin Foley (The Aging Brain: Cognition and Capacity). For more information click here: http://www.ciclt.net/sn/events/e_signup.aspx?ClientCode=paam&E_ID=500183&RegType=ATT
- The American Psychological Association and American Bar Association will hold a National Conference on Violence, May 1-3, in D.C. This 3-day APA/ABA continuing education national conference will address a broad range of issues related to the exposure of children, youth, and families to violence in and around the home, community, and society. For registration information go here: http://www.apa.org/about/offices/ogc/apa-aba/conference.aspx. For inquiries, email: APAABAViolenceConf@apa.org.
- The Florida Attorney General’s Office and The Florida Bar Elder Law Section’s Committee on Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation are pleased to present “Confronting Elder Financial Exploitation”, May 12 – 14, 2014, in Altamonte Springs, Florida, at the Embassy Suites Orlando North. This 3-day class encourages participants to “think outside the box” in formulating successful investigations and legal remedies. Elder law attorneys, prosecutors, and investigators are partnering in their communities with other subject matter experts to successfully expose and prosecute those who abuse our elder citizens. This interactive class encourages an exchange of information and creative resolutions. For more information please click here: http://www.fcpti.com/fcpti.nsf/forms/0B2C44BA5D93CE2885257C0C004735CB or call (850) 414 -3360.
- The 7th Annual Forensic Investigations Conference will be held in the Kansas City Convention Center May 12-17, 2014. The conference will focus on a broad array of emerging forensic issues, including sexual assault, interpersonal violence, ballistics, strangulation, and child and elder abuse in both urban and rural environments. This year’s conference is designed to provide an interactive joint educational opportunity and promising practices when working with victims of violence. To find more information, see here: http://www.saintlukeshealthsystem.org/forensic
- 17th Annual Kern County Elder Abuse Prevention Conference Wednesday, May 21, 2014 8:15 am - 3:30 pm At Hodel’s Country Dining (Liberty Rm) 5917 Knudsen Drive Bakersfield, California. “When is a Bruise Not a Bruise: Forensic Wound Identification and Documentation of Possible Abuse and Neglect” Speaker Daniel J. Sheridan, PhD, RN, FAAN. For more information: http://www.co.kern.ca.us/aas/pdf/2014_Elder_Abuse_Conf.pdf
- The 3rd World Congress on Adult Guardianship will be convened on May 28-30th , 2014 in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area. It is sponsored by the National Guardianship Network in affiliation with the International Guardianship Network. The theme of the conference is, “Promising Practices to Ensure Excellence in Guardianship Around the World.” Proposals for presentations are due July 31. See http://worldcongressguardianship.org
- The annual Gulf Coast Elder Abuse Conference, “Don’t Let the Light Go Out,” will be held on June 16, 2014 from 8:00 AM-4:45 PM in Slidell, Louisiana. The conference will include six hours of continuing education credits for nurses, and credit is pending for lawyers, social workers, professional counselors, bankers, facility administrators and physical therapists. A partial list of topics includes: Recognition of Injuries, the Elder Justice Act, Competence & Capacity, Domestic Violence Grown Old, The Role of Banking in Preventing and Responding to Elder Financial Exploitation and Elder Abuse and the LGBT Community. Presenters include: Donald D. Akers Jr., JD; Harold S. Bartholomew Jr., JD; Jenefer Duane; Dean Hawley, MD; Candace J. Heisler, JD; Suzy Ritholz, PhD; Daniel Sheridan, PhD and Jane Thomas, JD. For details, e-mail WEAAD@STSALT.ORG. A complete list of topics, further details and registration information are available here: http://www.stsalt.org/GulfCoastElderAbuseConference.html.
- The 2014 Consumer Voice Annual Conference will be held in Arlington, Virginia from November 15-19, 2014. There will be speakers in the field, long-term care policy updates from key experts, and tools and resources for advocacy. Registration and the conference agenda details will be coming soon. For questions, contact: info@theconsumervoice.org.
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Funding Opportunities:
- The National Institute of Justice is seeking proposals for research and evaluation related to the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elderly individuals. Research that includes residents of residential care facilities also will be considered. Research proposed may be focused at the state, local, tribal, federal, juvenile justice policy and/or practice level. The closing date for the application is April 25, 2014. Click here for more information: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=251247
- The Office for Victims of Crime released a solicitation yesterday under which it will fund up to ten awards of $150,000 to $750,000 to support organizations that use technology creatively to provide outreach and direct assistance to victims, particularly those who have never been served or for whom services are not readily available, nationally and/or internationally (for Americans abroad). OVC plans to fund three categories of projects: National-Scope Victim Service Initiatives, National Scope Victim Service Initiatives Proposing To Serve Underserved Victims Identified by the Applicant, and Victim Service Initiatives for American Victims of Domestic Violence and/or Sexual Assault Abroad. Deadline: May 15, 2014. Link to the solicitation: http://ojp.gov/ovc/grants/pdftxt/FY14_V21_UsingTechnology.pdf. For questions, see contact information on page 2 of the solicitation.
An archived collection of previous newsfeeds is available here: http://ncea.posthaven.com/
National Center on Elder Abuse
Center of Excellence on Elder Abuse & Neglect
University of California, Irvine
Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology
101 The City Drive South
Orange, CA 92868
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