PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — A certified nursing assistant with Windsor Woods Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center was arrested Sunday for allegedly abusing a 76-year-old dementia patient who can’t speak.
- Robert Roth, 49, charged with abusing an infirm, elderly or disabled adult
- Co-worker reported witnessing abuse
- More Pasco County stories
According to a Pasco County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, Robert Roth, 49, was helping to change the man’s clothes with another CNA. That co-worker reported that Roth grabbed the victim by his chin, shook his head, and used profanity to insult him.
Roth then allegedly slapped the man three times.
“No, I did not hit that patient,” said Roth when we spoke to him. “Do I touch him? Sure. Do I shave him? Sure. Do I smack him three times and cause marks and shake him, and call him the name that she said I did? No. I will deny that to my grave.”
Roth said November 2 marked one year since he started working at the nursing home. He said he’d worked with this particular patient for a year, and he’s not sure why his co-worker told officials he mistreated the man.
“We change him, take care of him,” Roth said. “We don’t go and change him alone because of potentialities like this.”
The sheriff’s report states that Roth initially denied the allegations. Once he was told a co-worker reported him, however, the report said he “stated he probably did do it, but he did not have malicious intent.”
The document goes on to say that Roth then “stated what happened was malicious.”
“I have no recollection of doing anything that she says, whatever I may or may not have said last night to the officer,” Roth said.
Windsor Woods issued the following statement in reference to the incident:
“Windsor Woods Rehab and Healthcare Center is aware of a reported incident with a former employee and have taken immediate action in contacting the authorities. We are working closely with authorities during the ongoing investigation of this isolated incident. As always, we are committed to the safety and well-being of our residents.”