3 women arrested after police bust fighting ring at assisted living facility
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WINSTON-SALEM, NC (WGHP) — Three workers at the Danby House were arrested after police say they uncovered the workers abused two elderly women in the assisted living facility. Both of the victims suffered from cognitive disabilities.
On June 21, police received a report of elder abuse at the Danby House assisted living facility. Workers were accused of letting two residents fight each other.
The police department’s Criminal Investigations Division began investigating with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
“When you’re talking about someone who can’t take care of themselves, we’ve got to give specific attention to that,” Lt. Dorn, with the Winston-Salem Police Department, told FOX8 about the investigation.
Investigators learned that certain Danby House employees were encouraging residents to fight each other and an employee physically assault a resident by shoving them.
Dorn stated that these were two different incidents that happened in June and were reported shortly after they happened.
Court documents reveal that Marilyn Latish McKey, 32, is accused of pushing a 73-year old woman into her room. Authorities say that at the time, Tonacia Yvonne Tyson, 20, and Taneshia Deshawn Jordan, 26, who were also employees, filmed the encounter and did not help.
During a separate incident, court documents show that the 73-year old woman began to fight with a 70-year old woman. All three women are accused of watching the fight, filming it and even encouraging it.
No injuries were reported or found during the investigation.
McKey was charged with two counts of assault on an individual with a disability.
Tyson and Jordan were charged with one count each of assault on an individual with a disability.
Arrest warrants state Jordan also video recorded an assault.
The Danby House said in a statement:
“Danby House has a zero-tolerance policy for the mistreatment of those in our care and as such, McKey, Tyson, and Jordan were terminated immediately in June when community management was alerted to this situation. Administrators have been working closely with the Winston-Salem Police Department throughout its investigation to ensure justice is served. Additional staff training and a more rigorous vetting process for all new and existing employees at Danby House has been implemented.
Danby House has undergone leadership changes in recent months, and we look at situations like these as opportunities to improve upon the high standard of care we provide for our residents.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Winston-Salem Police Department at (336) 773-7700 or CrimeStoppers at (336) 727-2800. CrimeStoppers may also be contacted via “Crime Stoppers of Winston Salem Forsyth County” on Facebook.
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