Nurse Aide Charged With Striking A Patient At Oneida County Nursing Home

Attorney General Spitzer today announced that a Certified Nurse Aide formerly employed at the Martin Luther Nursing Home has been charged with physically abusing an elderly and incompetent patient suffering from dementia.

Theresa Burnett, 47, of Yorkville appeared before Judge Vincent P. Scholl in the Town of Kirkland and was charged with one count of Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person and one count of Wilful Violation of Health Laws. The charges arise from her care of a patient of the Martin Luther Nursing Home on February 18, 2006, and allege that she struck the patient on his face, producing a bruise on his forehead above his left eye.

After the arraignment, Judge Scholl adjourned the case to June 27 to permit the defendant to obtain counsel.

Burnett worked at the Martin Luther Nursing Home in Clinton from March of 2000, until March of this year when she was terminated from employment.

The charges against Burnett are merely accusations, and she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Attorney General Spitzer thanked the administration of the Martin Luther Nursing Home and its staff for their cooperation and assistance in the investigation. Special Assistant Attorney General Norman S. Hatt, of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit’s Syracuse Regional Office, is prosecuting this case. Assisting in the investigation is Special Investigator Christopher J. Reidy.