Florida law classifies certain abuse of an elderly person or disabled adult as a third-degree felony.
Florida's statute on abuse of an elderly person or disabled adult covers conduct committed without great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement and classifies it as a third-degree felony, according to Florida law.
Co-Worker Describes Profanity and a Television Remote
The witness told investigators he heard Jones use profanity toward the patient before seeing him push her thigh while holding a television remote, the station's report states. The co-worker then removed Jones from the area and took him to a manager's office, according to the same account.
Jones gave a different version of events to officers. He denied using profanity or touching the patient's legs, but said he took the remote from her in an aggressive manner. He told officers he was trying to stop the patient from potentially hurting herself while she moved around with the device, per the report.
Patient's Mother Describes Advanced Dementia
The patient's mother told officers that her daughter has advanced dementia and aphasia and generally can respond only yes or no, limiting what investigators could learn directly from her. The patient was unable to provide details about the incident because of her mental condition, the report notes. Officers reported seeing no injuries consistent with the patient having harmed herself, which runs counter to Jones's explanation for why he grabbed the remote.
Jones was booked into jail following his arrest. A court docket dated last Wednesday shows that a motion on bond was filed, though the arrest report does not list a bond amount.
Other Florida Cases Involving Disabled Patients
Jones's arrest echoes other recent Florida cases involving care workers accused of abusing disabled adults. In Pinellas County, a certified nursing assistant identified by deputies as 51-year-old Delana Dallas-Hudson was arrested after allegedly pushing a nonverbal woman to the ground at Orchid Cove, according to WFLA. Deputies said the incident began after the victim, who could not speak, repeatedly asked for a cup of ice, and several witnesses reported hearing her ask for ice before hearing someone fall. The victim suffered minor injuries, and Dallas-Hudson was no longer employed at the nursing home following her arrest, deputies said.
In another case, a former certified nursing assistant named Logan Morrison was accused of grabbing a disabled adult by the neck and pushing him off a bed at Dayspring Senior Living in Hilliard in April 2024, according to SNN. Morrison was terminated after the facility's internal investigation and was later arrested and charged with abusing a disabled adult. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier commented on that case, saying his office has zero tolerance for elder abuse.
No court disposition, plea, or trial date for Jones has been reported, and it remains unclear whether he is still employed by Riverside Post Acute Care.
