A 56-year-old Indiana nurse was recently charged with several criminal offenses related to the alleged abuse of a child. Reportedly, the mother of the child caught the incidents on tape, and the nurse purportedly admitted wrongdoing when shown the recordings. Even though reports state the woman admitted to a crime, she still has several criminal defense options she can pursue in response to these allegations.
The woman was hired to provide in-home care to a disabled 8-year-old boy with a severe genetic disorder. The child’s mother reported that she placed a camera in the room where the boy spent most of his time. The video allegedly shows the nurse holding the child up by the arm and shaking him, throwing him down and later smacking him in the face. The mother claims she also has other videos depicting the nurse punching the child in the stomach and neglecting to feed him via his feeding tube for several days.
Due to the severe nature of the supposed crimes, the nurse was charged with several offenses. They include neglect of a dependent, battery on a person less than 14 years old and battery on a disabled person. She appeared before Lake Criminal Court and was later jailed without bond.
Facing charges like these would be difficult for anyone. Fortunately, for Indiana residents facing similar abuse charges, multiple criminal defense options are available. Consulting with an experienced criminal defense attorney can assist those accused of a crime protect important rights. A strong defense may work to mitigate the accusations and or even help to avoid a conviction entirely.
Source: nwitimes.com, “Police: Home nurse reportedly smacked, punched disabled child“, Steve Garrison, Feb. 15, 2017
