GREENVILLE, MS - A certified nursing assistant at Legacy Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation was terminated and faces felony charges after security cameras captured her repeatedly punching a cognitively impaired resident in the face and dumping him from his wheelchair onto the hallway floor on Christmas Eve 2024.
Violent Assault Captured on Security Cameras
The incident occurred on December 24, 2024, at approximately 3:55 PM when Resident #1, who has severe cognitive impairment with a documented BIMS score of 7, approached CNA #1 in the facility hallway. Security footage revealed that CNA #1 immediately began striking the wheelchair-bound resident with closed fists to his face, head, and chest.
According to the facility's investigation report, CNA #1 delivered approximately 10 documented punches to the resident. The video showed she "had several opportunities to leave away from Resident #1, but she did not attempt to remove herself from the situation." Instead of seeking help or de-escalating, the nursing assistant grabbed the front wheels of the resident's wheelchair and deliberately flipped it over, dumping the elderly man onto his back on the hallway floor.
The assault resulted in broken blood vessels in the resident's right eye and facial swelling that required medical evaluation and treatment by a physician. More disturbing, security footage showed the resident was left unattended on the hallway floor for approximately 30 minutes, during which he was forced to crawl on his own into his room.
Physical assault in nursing homes represents one of the most serious violations of federal regulations protecting vulnerable residents. When staff members use physical force against cognitively impaired residents, it violates fundamental patient safety protocols and can cause both immediate injury and long-term psychological trauma. Proper training requires staff to use de-escalation techniques, remove themselves from confrontational situations, and immediately seek supervisory assistance.
Systematic Cover-Up and Failure to Report
The violation was compounded by CNA #1's complete failure to report the incident to any supervisor or medical staff. She worked two consecutive eight-hour shifts - from 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM on December 24th and 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM on December 25th - totaling approximately 16 hours without mentioning the assault to anyone.
The incident only came to light on December 25th when another resident, Resident #3, reported witnessing the altercation to staff. When initially contacted by supervisors, CNA #1 provided a false account, claiming that Resident #1 had "attacked her first and pinned her up against the wall with his legs" and that she had only "slapped Resident #1 with an open hand." She insisted she had not abused the resident.
This fabricated story was contradicted entirely by security footage. As the Director of Nursing stated in the investigation: "The video was not at all consistent with the statement that was given by CNA #1." The footage clearly showed that at no point was CNA #1 pinned against any wall or unable to escape the situation.
Federal nursing home regulations require immediate reporting of any incident involving potential abuse or injury. The failure to report such incidents prevents proper medical assessment, investigation, and protective measures for vulnerable residents. When cognitively impaired residents are involved, staff have heightened responsibilities because these individuals may be unable to report injuries or advocate for themselves.
Medical Consequences and Cognitive Vulnerability
Resident #1's medical records revealed multiple conditions that made him particularly vulnerable to abuse and unable to protect himself. His diagnoses included alcohol-induced mood disorder, psychoactive substance abuse with withdrawal, dementia with behaviors, and cognitive communication deficit. The resident's severely impaired cognitive status meant he was unable to understand or report what happened to him.
When interviewed during the investigation, Resident #1 "mumbled and made statements that were not relevant to the subjects and appeared to not be cognitive of his surroundings." He was unable to remember how he received the broken blood vessels in his eye and stated "that no one had ever hurt him there and that he had not gotten into an altercation with anyone."
The physical injuries documented included ruptured blood vessels in the right eye (subconjunctival hemorrhage) and facial swelling. While these were the visible injuries, the medical implications extend beyond what cameras captured. Head trauma in elderly residents can result in serious complications including brain injury, especially when repeated blows are delivered to vulnerable individuals with existing cognitive impairments.
When elderly residents with dementia are subjected to physical assault, they may experience increased confusion, behavioral changes, and accelerated cognitive decline. The psychological trauma can manifest as increased agitation, withdrawal, or fear of caregivers, significantly impacting their quality of life and recovery potential.
Administrative Response and Criminal Investigation
The facility's investigation began after LPN #2 received the report from Resident #3 on December 25th. The Director of Nursing, who was out of state for the holidays, immediately directed staff to suspend CNA #1 and review security footage. When administrators viewed the 45-minute video, they confirmed the assault and immediately terminated the employee.
The Administrator described the footage as "hard for him to watch" and stated "the blatant abuse of Resident #1 was sickening." Both the Director of Nursing and LPN #2 reported being so disturbed by what they witnessed that they cried while reviewing the evidence.
Criminal charges followed swiftly. The facility contacted local police on December 25th, and the Attorney General's office obtained copies of the security footage, police report, and resident medical records. The AG investigator confirmed he was pursuing felony abuse and neglect charges, stating "the video alone was enough evidence to put CNA #1 in jail."
Additional Issues Identified
The inspection revealed several systemic concerns beyond the primary abuse incident. The facility had clear policies prohibiting resident abuse, including a Corporate Compliance Code of Conduct that CNA #1 had signed, which explicitly stated residents have "the right to be free from any type of abuse including verbal, sexual, mental, physical abuse, neglect, misappropriation of resident property and exploitation."
Staff training deficiencies were apparent, as CNA #1 had received training on proper protocols for handling aggressive residents but failed to follow any established procedures. The incident highlighted gaps in supervision and monitoring systems, as the assault occurred during an active shift with other staff present who were unaware of the situation.
The facility implemented comprehensive corrective actions including mandatory staff training on abuse prevention, aggressive behavior management, and stress reduction techniques. They conducted interviews with all residents to identify any other potential abuse cases and established enhanced monitoring protocols through their Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement Committee.
A complete body audit was performed on all residents with no additional adverse findings. The facility also scheduled ongoing monitoring including weekly resident and employee interviews for four weeks, followed by twice-monthly interviews for two months, and monthly assessments thereafter.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Legacy Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation from 2025-01-14 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.
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