Cynthia Elmore Struck 92-Year-Old Resident, Causing Elbow To Fracture; Will Serve 6 Months In Prison, 5 Years’ Probation
Schneiderman: My Office Will Hold Accountable Any Professional Who Jeopardizes The Safety Of Those In Their Care
SYRACUSE – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that Cynthia Elmore, 51, a Certified Nurse Aide, was sentenced on her guilty plea to Endangering the Welfare of a Vulnerable Elderly Person or an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person in the Second Degree in Onondaga County Court before the Honorable Anthony F. Aloi to six months in prison and five years’ probation for striking a 92-year-old nursing home resident, causing her elbow to fracture.
“For an aide to deliberately strike an elderly nursing home resident in their care is utterly reprehensible,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Nursing home residents and their families deserve to know that compassion and respect will be shown by nursing home staff. Under no circumstances should residents or their families have to fear that an aide might physically assault a resident. My office will keep working to hold accountable any professional who physically harms someone in their care.”
Elmore’s sentenced was based on her admission that on May 12, 2015, at Van Duyn Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in the Town of Onondaga, she struck a 92-year-old female resident on her left elbow, causing it to fracture. The entire incident was captured on a hidden tape recorder secreted in the resident’s room by her family.
Elmore resides in Syracuse. She worked at Van Duyn for five years.
This case was investigated by Special Investigator Keith Hall. The case is being prosecuted by Ralph D. Tortora, III, Regional Director, Syracuse Regional Office of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Catherine Wagner is Chief of Criminal Investigations-Upstate. William Falk is the Deputy Chief Investigator Upstate. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is led by Acting MFCU Director Amy Held and Assistant Deputy Attorney General Paul J. Mahoney. The Division of Criminal Justice is led by Executive Deputy Attorney General Kelly Donovan.