An incident of violence at a local hospital has led to the arrest of a staff member, as reported by Orange Park's law enforcement agency. The Clay County Sheriff's Office took to social media to disclose the assault of an elderly patient at HCA Orange Park Medical Center. In a post shared on Facebook, the agency details the physical abuse suffered by the 73-year-old male patient. According to the Clay County Sheriff's Office, a hospital employee named Anthony Diaz, aged 52, struck the patient multiple times, knocked him against a wall, and subsequently to the floor.
The reported assault, which occurred on November 14, was witnessed by a fellow staff member present in the same room. Following an investigation into the matter, authorities secured an arrest warrant for Diaz, who was taken into custody at his residence yesterday. Wrapped up in this narrative of cruelty is Diaz, whom the sheriff's office charged with Aggravated Battery of an Elderly Person. The bond has been set at a peculiar exactness of $150,003.00.
In the wake of the incident, the hospital has not publicly issued a statement regarding their employee's conduct or the measures they will take to prevent such occurrences in the future.
As the legal process proceeds, the community awaits the outcome of this grievous breach of trust and the steps toward accountability.
