Monday, August 15, 2011

Two Convicted in Cruel “Practical Joke”

Two women convicted of coating patients at a California nursing home with ointment for a practical joke on colleagues have been sentenced to 20 days in jail.

Monica Rose Smith, 52, and Jennifer Louise Burton, 34, must also serve two years probation, The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat reported. They were convicted of misdemeanor elder abuse at the Valley View Skilled Nursing Home in Ukiah.

Three other employees at the nursing home have received non-custodial sentences for elder abuse or failure to report it. The state has revoked the California nursing assistant licenses for all five, the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office said.

Seven elderly patients were entirely covered with ointment, an action Gov. Jerry Brown, at the time state attorney general, described as "cruel and shocking."

Investigators said it was done so the next shift of employees would have to deal with slippery patients.

Full Article and Source:
Two Convicted for Coating Seniors in Ointment

5 comments:

Thelma said...

20 days in jail is not enough. People like this should not be re-licensed. What is in place for future screening?

Betty said...

This should be a felony. I am shocked that all they got was 20 days.

Steve said...

How much crueler can people be? This makes me want to puke!

StandUp said...

My blood boiled when I read about Sara Harvey having to protest on her wedding anniversary instead of spending it with her husband. And then I read this and it might be even sicker.

Norma said...

Cruel and shocking is right. It's also shocking that they only got 20 days for this sick "joke."