Nursing Assistant Accused of Assaulting Patient Appears in Court
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Tamara Jeffries entered a not guilty plea Monday morning in Town of Ridgeway Court, standing by her statement to police that she did not shove or slam her patient.
This whole case revolves around an alleged incident, early on the morning of May 13th. Police and witnesses claim Jeffries was caring for 81-year-old Bessie Brady, who has Alzheimer’s.
Other nurses told police that the patient, Ms. Brady, often tries to stand from her wheelchair, because she doesn't know any better.
In this incident, the 24-year-old Jeffries is accused of grabbing the standing Ms. Brady by the neck and arm, and slamming her face-first into a wheelchair, injuring the woman.
Jeffries is also accused of swearing and screaming she didn't care if she was fired.
YNN spoke with Orleans County District Attorney Joe Cardone on Monday. He says, more than anything, this case must be successfully prosecuted to ensure justice for all incapable medical patients.
"The allegations here involve pretty serious charges of her having assaulted an 80-plus-year-old woman, who of course was at the hospital with different illnesses, and obviously when you go to the hospital, you expect that you're not going to be subjected to that sort of thing,” Cardone said.
Tamara Jeffries is no longer working at Medina Memorial Hospital.
For her part, Jeffries gave a statement to police, claiming she never grabbed Ms. Brady anywhere near her neck. She also says the other nurses on her shift that night were not helping a number of needy patients. Jeffries said that got her frustrated, and she "walked away to cool off."
Jeffries is due back here in Ridgeway Town Court in just over a month.