A 76-year-old patient sitter has been sentenced for assaulting a 68-year-old man with the remote control for a hospital bed.
On Tuesday, Dec. 10, Eleanor Flowers, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced for criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult and attempted threats following the Jan. 4, 2021 incident at Southeast Washington Hospital United Medical Center, per a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Columbia.
“Superior Court Judge Deborah J. Israel sentenced Flowers to 24 months of probation,” the release confirmed.
“As part of the sentencing, Flowers must also stay away from the victim and is prohibited from working, volunteering, or participating in any activity involving the elderly, vulnerable, cognitively disabled, or children, to include activities in hospitals, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, doctors’ offices, urgent care, and daycare,” the release added.
Hospital bed remote control hanging on the bed rail.
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Flowers had been employed as a patient sitter at the United Medical Center when she repeatedly struck the victim with the hospital bed’s remote controller while attempting to change his “soiled clothing,” court documents and evidence presented at the trial stated, per the release.
The victim was classified as a “vulnerable adult” after previously suffering a stroke, the release confirmed, adding that the man was “paralyzed on one side of his body” and “unable to speak” at the time of the incident.
“The assault was captured on cellphone video by another Patient Sitter in the room, who witnessed the abuse,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Elderly woman’s hand with call button in a hospital bed.
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“The video showed Flowers’ repeated strikes, causing visible distress to the victim. Flowers was terminated from her position following the incident, which was reported to hospital authorities and subsequently investigated by the D.C. Office of Inspector General,” the release continued.
U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas, both for the District of Columbia, announced the sentencing, and “commended the efforts of those who investigated and prosecuted the case,” which included the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
