Florida sheriff: Women who live-streamed abuse of elderly are ‘scumbags’
Brevard County (Fla.) Sheriff Wayne Ivey didn’t hold back in describing his disgust with two healthcare workers charged with elderly abuse after they live-streamed their treatment of an elderly patient with dementia.
During a press conference streamed through the sheriff’s department Facebook page, Ivey described the women as “pieces of crap” and scumbags for their treatment of the patient.
“I’m going to try and use restraint as I tell you about this case, because I’m disgusted,” Ivey began. “The perpetrators in this case are not only disgusting, but vile individuals who live streamed themselves abusing one of our elderly citizens who suffers from dementia.”
“Even worse, they are two healthcare workers who were entrusted to care for this lady at a local facility.”
Ivey played a portion of the suspects’ live-stream during the press conference. In it, the women can be heard yelling at the woman and threatening to put her in a closet, as well as mocking her on camera for those who were watching.
“Abusing an elderly person, or anyone for that matter, is disgusting enough, but to make matters worse they livestreamed the abuse,” Ivey said. “They actually put it up on a livestream platform so their friends could watch it, laugh about it, as they mocked this elderly person in her condition.”
“I will tell you not only are (the suspects) bags of crap, but the people who were on there laughing and mocking this poor lady, you’re bags of crap.” Ivey added after showing the video.
The two women — 20-year-old Shy’Tonia Bishop and Jada Harris, 18, are each charged with abusing a disabled adult or elderly person, and video voyeurism. Harris faces an additional charge of illegal interception of communication.
Bond was set for Harris at $6,000, while Bishop’s was set at $4,000. Both suspects have posted bond and been released from the Brevard County Jail. Abuse of a disabled adult or elderly person is a 3rd-degree felony in Florida, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Ivey bemoaned the low bond amounts, noting they are set by the state.
“If they let me do it, (the bond) would be ‘when hell freezes over’ for these two,” he said.
The assisted living facility where the suspects’ were employed was not identified, but Ivey credited them for “doing everything right” in immediately notifying his department of the incident and terminating the two women.
Ivey also noted the irony that the two suspects would receive better treatment from jail personnel than they gave the woman entrusted to their care.
“I wouldn’t let these two care for a pet cobra,” he said, “because it might bite them and die of scumbag poisoning.”