Caretaker, 77, arrested for allegedly hitting 84-year-old woman at assisted living facility in South Miami
By Web staff
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MIAMI, Florida (WSVN) — A caretaker has been arrested after, police said, she abused and hit an elderly woman under her care at a South Florida senior living facility.
Miami-Dade Police responded on Tuesday to the Good Family Home, located along the 6800 block of Southwest 79th Terrace in South Miami.
According to police, the victim’s granddaughter told them her 84-year-old grandmother, who has Alzheimer’s, was “abused and physically beaten by her caretaker,” who has been identified as 77-year-old Josephine Gurri.
The granddaughter told police that a video, recorded by a previous caretaker earlier this month and sent to her, shows Gurri “striking (the victim) in the buttocks and lower back area.”
“What I saw, what I witnessed was rough,” said the granddaughter.
In the cellphone video, obtained by 7News, the screams of the 84-year-old are heard while she is in the restroom with Gurri. Then the sound of a slap is heard.
“I saw her mishandling my grandmother. I saw her hitting my grandmother, I saw her verbally abusing my grandmother,” said the granddaughter. “And my grandmother was just standing there in despair, saying ‘What’s going on here, what’s going on here.’ My grandmother has severe Alzheimer’s, she’s helpless.”
The granddaughter shared photos of the bruises on her grandmother’s face and legs.
Police entered the facility and arrested Gurri. She faces an elderly abuse charge.
Gurri appeared in bond court on Wednesday.
“Ms. Gurri’s present,” said a court official.
“I don’t see any criminal history,” said a court official.
“All right, ma’am, you need to get yourself a lawyer if you can afford one,” said MIami-Dade Dade Circuit Judge Leon M. Firtel.
She was ordered to stay away from the victim.
Gurri remains behind bars at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Her bond was set at $1,000.
Norka Rodriguez, a caretaker who works at the facility and is a friend of Gurri spoke highly of her to 7News and said she didn’t believe Gurri was capable of hurting anyone.
“She’s a very caring woman, very calm person, I don’t understand what happened here to tell you the truth,” said Rodriguez.
The granddaughter of the 84-year-old victim said she doesn’t understand either.
“It’s, it’s there,” said the granddaughter. “The proof is in the pudding. It’s there and I really thought that she was in good hands, I really truly did. It’s crazy to even think that somebody can treat another human being like that.”
The grandmother victim has been moved in with family members.
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