A 47-year-old health care aide from Schenectady is facing felony and misdemeanor charges after she allegedly struck and kicked a disabled resident repeatedly at a care facility in Halfmoon, according to state police. Juliet Amoakoah fled the scene before officers arrived, but troopers tracked her down later that same night and took her into custody.
According to New York State Police logs, troopers were dispatched to the Halfmoon facility at 8:36 p.m. on October 1, 2026, following a report of an assault. Amoakoah was later arrested. As reported by Daily Voice, coworkers called police after witnessing the alleged attack, and Amoakoah had already left the premises by the time officers responded.
Staff at the facility did more than just call for help. Per CNY News, coworkers actively intervened to stop the alleged assault on the disabled resident, and facility administrators fully cooperated with state police investigators throughout the inquiry.
How Troopers Located the Aide
State police say Amoakoah was eventually located and arrested in Waterford before being processed at the Troop G barracks in Clifton Park, the same report notes. She was released on appearance tickets and is scheduled to appear in Halfmoon Town Court on October 21.
That court, located at 1 Halfmoon Town Plaza, handles initial appearances and criminal proceedings for incidents occurring within the town and typically holds sessions on Thursday evenings, according to 211 NENY. Criminal cases originating in Halfmoon are prosecuted by the Saratoga County District Attorney's Office, which manages criminal proceedings in the town's local justice courts.
The Charges She Faces
Amoakoah faces first-degree and second-degree endangerment of a disabled person, along with third-degree assault, the same account indicates. Under New York Penal Law Sections 260.25 and 260.32, the first-degree charge is classified as a Class E felony, punishable by up to seven years in state prison, while the second-degree charge is a Class A misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of four years, according to the New York State Senate.
Third-degree assault under Penal Law Section 120.00 is a Class A misdemeanor carrying a potential sentence of up to 364 days in local jail, up to three years of probation, or a fine of up to $1,000, per the same legislative code.
Oversight Beyond the Courtroom
Beyond the criminal case, New York's Protection of People with Special Needs Act designates direct-care workers in certified facilities as mandated reporters who must sign an annual ethical Code of Conduct pledging to prevent abuse and neglect, according to the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs.
The case echoes other recent incidents of alleged caregiver abuse across New York. In April, state police arrested a nursing home aide in Westchester County for attacking a 91-year-old resident, part of a broader pattern of enforcement against facility caregiver abuse statewide.
