Three caregivers in Far Rockaway found themselves in handcuffs Wednesday after they allegedly dragged a disabled and bleeding nursing home resident and left him bleeding on the floor for over 20 minutes last October, authorities said.
On the evening of October 23, 2014, at Peninsula Nursing and Rehabilitation Center a 51-year-old resident, who suffered from multiple debilitating conditions including mental status, fell in front of nurse Esohe Agbonkpolor while in a hallway, according to court papers. After the resident was left lying on his back on the floor for 12 minutes, certified nurse aide Emmanuel Ufot allegedly grabbed the resident by the arm and dragged him into his room.
About 25 minutes later, the resident, wearing only a backless gown pulled over his waist, came out of his room crawling on the floor on his back, bleeding profusely from a wound on the back of his head and another serious wound on his jaw, according to authorities. For the next 20 minutes, Agbonkpolor and another nurse, Funmilola Taiwo, working a few feet away, allegedly ignored the resident on the floor and did not appropriately treat his wounds or try to stop the bleeding.
Instead, Ufot allegedly grabbed the resident by his hospital gown, which was at the time twisted around his neck, and dragged him along the floor and dropped him abruptly in front of his room, authorities said.
The entire incident was caught by hallway surveillance cameras and management at the center turned the video over to authorities.
All three were either terminated or resigned from Peninsula Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Taiwo, Agbonkpolor, and Ufot were arrested by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Unit on Wednesday.
“My office will not tolerate nurses who callously fail to treat or endanger injured patients under their care,” said New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. “Caregivers must know that we will vigorously prosecute behavior that endangers our most vulnerable citizens. New Yorkers in nursing facilities deserve quality care and their loved ones deserve to know their caregivers act like the professionals they are.”
Taiwo, 34, of Far Rockaway; Agbonkpolor, 39, of Arverne; and Ufot, 36, of Far Rockaway were each charged with endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, and willful violation of health laws.
Each were arraigned in New York City Criminal Court and their cases were adjourned for conference on July 30.
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