Home health care worker busted after overdosing
UPPER DARBY » Township police used Narcan to revive a home health care aide after she apparently overdosed on heroin Monday night, collapsing on the floor inside her 73-year-old patient’s apartment.
In announcing 29-yearold Amber Graziano’s arrest Wednesday on reckless endangerment and related drug offenses, township Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood credited the septuagenarian who relies on a wheelchair for being her caretaker’s real lifesaver.
“She called 911,” Chitwood said. “This 73-yearold person who was supposed to be taken care of saved her life.”
It was shortly before 8:30 p.m. Monday when township police were dispatched to the Lindenwald Apartments on Shadeland Avenue for an unconscious subject. Arriving officers found a woman, later identified as Graziano, “in an apparent overdose condition,” according to the probable cause arrest for her arrest.
After Officer Travis Hall administered Narcan to Graziano, she regained consciousness. Found on the floor next to Graziano were six bags of what field-tested positive for the presence of heroin, the affidavit states.
Graziano was transported by medics to the hospital for further evaluation.
On the morning of March 13, Police Lt. William Kane returned to the apartment to interview the 73-yearold woman who called 911 to report the overdose. She told him that about 7 p.m. on March 12, she was in the bedroom of her apartment praying the rosary with two neighbors, which they routinely do at that time.
The three women were praying when Graziano came into the room.
When her prayer partners left about 8 p.m., the woman recalled calling out to Graziano, but Graziano did not respond, she told police.
At that point, the patient returned to the bedroom and found Graziano “prone on the floor with her knees under her body and her buttocks up in the air,” states the affidavit, written by township Police Capt. David Madonna.
The patient nudged Graziano, whom she described as “dead weight,” the affidavit states. The patient then called 911 and emergency personnel responded to provide care to Graziano.
In interviewing the 73-year-old woman, police ascertained that she is paralyzed on the left side, and that her right shoulder is so severely injured she is in need of a total replacement.
She told police she is dependent on her caretaker for meals, dressing and bathroom needs. A home health care worker is usually with her for eight to 10 hours a day.
Madonna sought the warrant to arrest Graziano due to her inability to perform her duties as a home health care assistant, “which left the victim vulnerable,” the affidavit states.
According to Chitwood, soon after Graziano was released from the hospital, she returned to her patient’s residence asking why she called the police and her employer.
“She told Graziano that she was fired from her job,” Chitwood said. According to Chitwood, Graziano was employed by Home Helpers in Drexel Hill. No one was available to comment at the firm late Wednesday.
Chitwood said Graziano was taken into custody Wednesday in Sharon Hill. According to him, she was making plans to enter a rehabilitation facility.
“We locked her up,” Chitwood said, adding that she was awaiting preliminary arraignment.
According to Chitwood, police also found Graziano unconscious back in December 2017.
“The heroin epidemic is getting worse … this is a perfect example,” Chitwood said.
Chitwood said Graziano’s overdose was the third for the township in recent days, noting there were two opioid-related deaths over the weekend.
Police in Upper Darby have successfully administered Narcan 375 times since the passage of David’s Law in late 2015.