An elderly nursing home resident was severely beaten over the weekend in San Antonio. The nursing home resident and her attacker did not know each other and it appeared to be a random act of violence. Both the victim and the attacker were covered in blood after the assault. The attacker is in the Bexar County Jail charged with injury to the elderly.
It is unclear from the reports, as the investigation has not been completed, as to how the attacker gained access to the San Antonio nursing home facility. The senior care facility allegedly required a key code to gain entry.
Nursing homes have a duty to provide a safe place for their residents. Not all criminal acts can be prevented; however, it is obvious from the weekend attack at the senior care facility that somehow their security system was breached. Someone should investigate how this obviously disturbed person gained entry to the facility. It is possible that security cameras recorded the attacker entering into the facility. Security cameras very often only record for a very short period, such as 72 hours, before recording over the previous material. Therefore, either the police or an attorney representing the victim will need to act quickly to get a copy of the tape or hard drive prior to being erased. Nursing home abuse can take many forms; although facilities should honor and protect our senior citizens, when that trust is violated, accountability should be sought.
