Ariz. Caretakers Receive Probation for Nursing Home Abuse

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Tucson police arrest 68-year-old Alisa Moreno and 29-year-old Annuhar Ruiz for alleged nursing home abuse.

Two Arizona caregivers recently arrested for nursing home abuse, Annuhar Ruiz and Alisa Moreno, received four years probation for allegedly abusing a 93-year-old elderly woman at a nursing home in Tucson. This case was the first for the Arizona’s courts, with actual video recorded evidence that had captured the elder abuse.

The alleged nursing home abuse was documented in July 2013 at the Asterion Acres Home Center, where the caregivers in question, 29-year-old Annuhar Ruiz and 68-year-old Alisa Moreno, were taped abusing elderly residents with their fists and other physical objects to inflict injury. The evidence was captured by one of the victims’ sons, Lee Brown, who placed a hidden camera in the room because he was suspicious of what might have been happening to his mother.

The video evidence was found to be almost indisputable in court, as both caregivers were convicted of vulnerable adult abuse. In addition to his probation, Ruiz will have to pay more than $3,000 in restitution. He has been in jail since his arrest in mid-July. According to prosecutors, there have been five occasions where Moreno had literally thrown or tossed the elderly Brown onto her bed. The video had shown her abusing the elderly woman with a remote control, punching her back, and bending the woman’s toes backward.

On the tape, Ruiz was shown to cause Brown’s mother similar abuse as he threw onto the bed from her wheelchair. Ruiz was shown to be hitting her on the face and mouth, and ripping off the victim’s shirt and throwing it at her. While Ruiz and Moreno apologized to the victim and her family, that did not save them from jail time, the fines, or probation.

The victim, Dorris Brown, passed away on July 23, 2013 as a result of a heart condition. Her son is hopeful that her case will be an example of how prevalent of a problem elder abuse is, and that Arizona will take more serious protections to help the elderly.

Overview of Elder Abuse Problem

The problem of elder abuse is not only a large concern in the United States, but also in the world. This type abuse is so seldom reported that most experts find it difficult to quantify, however many estimate that tens of millions of elders have become victims to abuse from relatives or nursing homes.

Researchers estimate at least 4% to 10% of the world’s elderly is being abused, with 4% being about 30 million people. Additionally, researchers also estimate that by 2050, there will be more old people on earth than there will be children for the first time in history, due to longer life spans and falling birth rates.

With such a growing problem, more and more legal and advocacy groups grow concern over the future of how the world will treat the elderly, and whether or not the government will provide for them. Elder abuse is less commonly reported than spousal or child abuse due to the fact that victims often feel that they have nothing better to turn to.

Many lawsuits have been filed against family members and nursing homes for elder abuse, with many alleging physical assault and financial exploitation.

File a Nursing Abuse Lawsuit Today

If you or a loved one have been victim of nursing home abuse, elder abuse or nursing home neglect, you have legal options. Please visit the Elder Abuse Nursing Home Neglect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. There, you can submit your claim for a free legal review and if it qualifies for legal action, a seasoned elder abuse lawyer will contact you for a free, no-obligation consultation. You will be guided through the litigation process at no out-of-pocket expenses or hidden fees. The nursing home abuse attorneys working this investigation do not get paid until you do.