A Georgia woman has been accused of stealing from residents of the nursing home that she worked at. Coastal Manor Long Term Care Facility said they conducted a comprehensive background check on the woman. Nursing homes are required to conduct background checks in many states and apparently the problem of abuse in nursing homes is so prevalent that it has its own blog, Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog. The fact that this blog exists at all should convince any nursing home that is not currently conducting background checks the need to start ASAP!
Woman accused of stealing at nursing home
LUDOWICI — An employee of Coastal Manor Long Term Care Facility was arrested Friday and has been charged with stealing from the nursing home and several of its residents.
According to Ludowici Police Department Investigator Sal Genualdi, Demetria Denise Williams was arrested after Elise Stafford, the home’s chief long-term care officer, reported the center had information showing an employee had been stealing.
After gathering information from Stafford, Genualdi went to Coastal Manor and arrested Williams, 28, a military spouse who lives on Governor’s Boulevard in Hinesville.
Genualdi said Williams was then taken to the LPD, where she was charged with theft by deception, theft by taking and exploitation of the elderly.
Genualdi said Williams has been charged with stealing more than $4,000 and that he anticipates as many as 25 more theft warrants.
Genualdi alleged Williams stole from residents by taking money for their families, but not depositing it into appropriate accounts.
Stafford said Williams also stole from the facility by taking payment of services not provided to residents.
“The majority of the money that was stolen was from payment for services,” Stafford said. “There was a minimal amount taken from the residents.”
She said she has reported the alleged crimes to state regulators and has asked for an independent auditor to look at the incident.
Genualdi said the initial charges all related to thefts from individuals, not from the home, which operates under auspices of Liberty Regional Medical Center in Hinesville.
Stafford said job applicants go through criminal back ground checks and that nothing was found on Williams to have prevented her from being hired.
“Our goal is to provide good quality care for our residents, and to protect them from any type of abuse,” Stafford said.
Genualdi said a $5,000 bond was set for Williams, but as of Thursday, she was still in the Wayne County Jail.
