A December shift at a Munster nursing home that staff say erupted in screams has now landed a former nurse's aide in jail on felony charges, after one resident died days later.
Denise Beard, 54, of Gary, has been charged with one count of neglect of a dependent resulting in death and four counts of battery against a disabled person, according to court filings. The allegations center on a Dec. 14, 2025 shift at Munster Med Inn, where workers reported hearing cries from residents and later found injuries.
Allegations Detailed In Probable-Cause Files
According to a probable-cause affidavit described by Law&Crime, a registered nurse reported walking in on Beard pushing 95-year-old resident Laura Stump in a wheelchair so close to a bed that skin was torn from the woman's arm and hand.
Court documents say Stump later told her daughter, "You hurt me. You called me names and you tore my skin." Investigators say those statements, along with the physical injuries, became key pieces of evidence in the neglect case that followed Stump's death several days after the incident.
Reports From Other Residents And Staff
Once authorities began digging into what happened during that December shift, other residents described a pattern of verbal and physical abuse, according to investigators. One longtime resident told authorities Beard called her a "smelly b—" and punched her in the forehead. An 80-year-old man alleged Beard threw a water bottle at him and made an obscene gesture toward him.
Facility leaders said they moved to take Beard off the floor quickly. Officials with Sterling Healthcare, which operates Munster Med Inn, told reporters that Beard was first suspended and then fired after she refused to cooperate with an internal inquiry. They said the facility reported the allegations to state authorities, according to Tampa Free Press.
Employment History And Facility Response
Beard's employment history in local care facilities is also drawing scrutiny.
Reporting indicates she had been terminated from South Shore Health and Rehabilitation Center in Gary two months before the December incident, after an Oct. 6, 2025 complaint that a 95-year-old resident there was found crying with a welt on her cheek and a swollen lip, accusing Beard of striking her. That coverage also notes Beard had previously been suspended for making remarks about not assisting residents.
Sterling Healthcare has said it notified state regulators when complaints about Beard surfaced, according to a summary by US Magazine.
Legal Stakes And What’s Next
Prosecutors have charged Beard with neglect of a dependent resulting in death along with multiple counts of battery against a disabled person, treating all of the allegations as felonies under Indiana law.
Indiana appellate opinions and statutory interpretations make clear that neglect charges tied to a death can be elevated and prosecuted as aggravated felonies, which may expose a defendant to a potential sentence stretching into decades under the state's sentencing framework. For background on how Indiana courts read those statutes and the ranges that apply, the courts' public archive collects relevant opinions and rulings.
Reporting And Resources For Families
Officials are again using the case to remind families and staff that suspected elder abuse should never be ignored. Anyone who believes an older or disabled adult is being mistreated is urged to contact Adult Protective Services or local law enforcement. The state provides step-by-step guidance and regional contact information for reporting endangered adults, according to Indiana Adult Protective Services.
The criminal investigation remains active, and Beard is in custody as the case moves through the courts, according to reporting by Law&Crime and local outlets. Prosecutors and facility officials did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment, and more details are expected to surface in public court filings as the proceedings continue.
