TWO CHARGED WITH ELDERLY ABUSE IN BOYNTON
Two care
BOYNTON BEACH — takers in a Boynton Beach assisted-living facility are facing criminal charges after they allegedly used duct tape to restrain and silence a patient.
City police arrested Phygelle Brudent, 52, a nd Lashron Williams, 44, both of West Palm Beach, on Friday on charges of elderly abuse and false imprison- ment. They are caretakers at the Colonial Assisted Liv- ing Facility on Federal High
south of Gateway Boulevard, an arrest report said.
Police alleged Brudent and Williams used duct tape to restrain a 67-year-old woman to a chair on the night of July 3. They also put duct tape
over the woman’s mouth to stop her from screaming,
police said.
The arrest report indicates
that three employees were involved. No other arrests have been made as of Friday afternoon, but the investiga- tion remains open, Boynton Beach police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater said.
Police began investigating Thursday after being noti- fied of a complaint made to the Florida Department of
Children and Families. The alleged victim suffers from dementia and was unable to speak about the the incident, police said.
However, police found evi- dence showing the woman had been tied to a chair, the report said. At one point, the chair was tilted back against a bed.
According to the report, Brudent admitted to tying the patient to the chair. She said she did so because she was frustrated by the patient’s inability to remain quiet,
and because she had other patients to care for.
Williams admitted to seeing the alleged victim with duct tape around her mouth,
the report said. Williams reportedly said she removed the tape when giving the patient sleeping pills, but never reported the incident.