A home aide is currently on the run after she was caught on video allegedly beating an elderly woman with a saucepan.
Relatives of the woman, identified as Dorothy, placed cameras throughout her Harlem, New York, apartment. An aide was brought in to assist the woman, who uses a walker and a oxygen tank. However, on July 21, Dorothy’s granddaughters watched in horror as the healthcare worker assaulted their loved one with the kitchen object.
According to the ABC7, Medflyt at Home Health Care Agency employed the assistant. In the video, she can be heard yelling “you’re pissing me off” to the 95-year-old. After throwing two items in her direction, the employee proceeded to hit Dorothy with the saucepan.
The caretaker continued hurting the woman, bashing her with the pan until she fell on her walker. The assault left Dorothy with multiple bruises and potential blood clots, as well as limited mobility in her arms.
Her granddaughters, who helplessly witnessed the altercation, recalled experiencing the ordeal from afar.
“I felt helpless… it was the worst thing I could have imagined,” explained Michelle Mitchell, one of Dorothy’s granddaughters. “It was so unreal to me, that someone could punch somebody like they were beating them down.”
She added, “It was a nightmare…one of the worst days of my life.”
Racial disparities in elder abuse continue to persist. The Nursing Home Abuse Center confirmed that older Black people are twice as likely to face emotional and psychological abuse. The National Institute of Health also stated the demographic faces more cases of abuse than their white counterparts.
As for the fugitive aide’s employer, Medlyft confirmed its cooperation with police in finding her.
“We’re doing an internal investigation, alongside the New York City Police Department, and are cooperating with authorities,” explained the agency.
Thus far, the NYPD has made no arrests as the aide remains at large.
RELATED CONTENT: Black Family Opens Senior Care Center to Combat Elder Abuse
