Two healthcare workers in Florida are facing charges of elderly abuse after they allegedly livestreamed themselves verbally abusing and mocking an elderly patient in their care, authorities say.
Shy’Tonia Bishop, 20, and Jada Harris, 18, were arrested for video voyeurism and abusing a disabled adult or elderly person after the latter reportedly used her Snapchat account to film herself and Bishop while they accosted an elderly patient using the bathroom, according to WFTV News.
In the video taken April 3, Bishop and Harris mock an elderly woman with dementia for “peeing on herself” laughing at comments made by their watchers who suggest the two women “lock her in the closet.” The video further shows the patient walking towards her bed as the two women work to place an adult diaper on her.
“I’m disgusted.”Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey told reporters at a press conference. Calling Bishop and Harris “vile individuals,” Ivey stated the abuse the patient suffered at their hands was “worse” as they were entrusted with her care.
As soon as Market Street Memory Care became aware of the situation, they “did everything right” by contacting the proper authorities and firing Bishop and Harris, Ivey told reporters. “I’ve asked our team to make sure they work closely with the state attorney’s office and the judicial system to make sure that these two can never be involved in any type of healthcare again,” Ivey stated. (RELATED: Nursing Homes Underreport Cases Of Potential Elder Abuse, Studies Find)
“My only hope is that these two live long enough in life…that someone pays it forward in response to their actions to how they treated this lady because it’s truly disgusting,” Ivey continued.
As for the patient, Ivey revealed that she is now under the care of two “professional” healthcare workers that are with her and her family.”