Nursing Home Abuse: No Plea for Teens Charged in Albert Lea (MN. USA)

Brianna Broitzman, Ashton Larson to post bail, avoid jail time

20 Jan 2009

ALBERT LEA, Minn. (FOX 9) -- Two teenage girls charged with abusing seniors at an Albert Lea nursing home made their first court appearance Wednesday in Freeborn County. Both of the girls were released on $2,000 bail, with restrictions. Brianna Broitzman, and Ashton Larson, both 19, refrained from entering pleas and were ordered to report to the county jail by 5 p.m. Wednesday to be booked, fingerprinted and photographed.  Video: Alleged Abusers in Court Broitzman's attorney, Lawrence Maus, said in court: "Obviously she wants to challenge this complaint." Broitzman posted bail by early afternoon, and Larson posted bail shortly afterward. Broitzman and Larson were working at Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society nursing home when the alleged abuse occurred over several months in early 2008.  They are accused of taunting residents, physically assaulting them and touching them in sexual ways.  Four younger aides were also charged earlier, with one pleading guilty and the others facing trials in Juvenile Court. "I think that they are very serious charges," Freeborn County Attorney Craig Nelson said after the hearing. "We're dealing with people who are vulnerable adults. People who are clearly ... in need of our care and our concern and our monitoring. They depend on us for everything."  The Minnesota Department of Health released a report in August showing 15 residents with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia disorders were abused at the nursing home. Allegations in MDH report The girls were still in high school, working as part-time nursing assistants at the Good Samaritan home in Albert Lea. According to the report, they allegedly spit in residents' mouths, poked their breasts and touched their genitals. The residents were also subject to teasing in the girls' care.  Court records also show that Broitzman and Larson would joke about spanking a particular resident. One of them apparently stuck their bare bottom in another resident's face. The complaint says the girls figured they wouldn't get caught because the "residents did not have their minds." The charges Broitzman and Larson were both charged with assault of a caregiver to a vulnerable adult and criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult. Between them, they face a total of 21 counts of elder abuse. Their next hearing is scheduled for March 23. They face more than 9 years in prison.  The county attorney says it will be very difficult to prosecute. Two of the victims have since died. There are four other juveniles involved in the investigation. They are charged with failing to report the incident.  Watchdog calls for video cameras The founder of a nationally known nursing home watchdog group returned to Albert Leato host another town hall meeting to discuss the alleged abuse. Wes Bledsoe told FOX 9 he believes one way to combat abuse is to require video cameras. "We must protect those who can no longer protect themselves. One of the surest ways to do that is to put video cameras in every long term care facility in this nation,” says Bledsoe. “Video monitoring must be mandatory in the common areas, in lobbies, in the hallways, that way we can see who's going from what room and when." Bledsoe says caregivers target elderly victims who often can not speak for themselves. He also supports families requesting video cameras right in their loved ones' rooms.

Abridged

SOURCE:    My F0x Twin Cities

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