Man, 89, injured; 2 aides arrested

A housekeeping aide at Oak Manor Nursing Home in Largo said he witnessed the mistreatment of the elderly resident with dementia.

By CHRIS TISCH
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 28, 2002

LARGO -- After hearing screaming from the room at Oak Manor Nursing Home, the housekeeping aide went inside. He watched as a nursing assistant pushed an 89-year-old man onto a bed, then clasped her hands around his throat, the aide later told police.

The aide left, but came back after hearing more screaming. This time, the old man was on the floor in the corner, a bloody cut on the left side of his head.

The elderly man, who has dementia, suffered three broken ribs and bruises to his forearm, wrist and chest. The gash on his head needed stitches.

On Wednesday, Largo police charged two certified nursing assistants in connection with the man's injuries. They both were employed by medical staffing contractors, but worked at Oak Manor on March 18, the day the elderly man was beaten.

Connie C. Covington, 33, was charged with aggravated abuse of an elderly person, while Euronda Green, 30, was charged with neglect of the elderly. Police said Covington choked and hit the elderly victim, while Green was in the room and did nothing to stop the abuse.

Also in question is why it took four hours for Largo police to be summoned to the nursing home to investigate. The housekeeping aide, Harry Conyers, told police he saw the abuse occur about 6:30 a.m.

"He saw (Covington) with her hands on his throat," said Lt. Jim Precious.

When he went in the second time, the elderly man was on the floor, "very upset and in shock," Precious said. Water also was spilled on the floor.

Conyers left the room and told other employees, who urged him to tell his boss, which he did. That boss told someone on the nursing staff about it, and word eventually reached the administration, police said.

But it wasn't until 10:30 a.m. that police were called to the nursing home. By this time, both Covington and Green had left work and could not be interviewed.

"You have a patient who's injured and an employee telling you that another employee caused it," Precious said. "Most people would, I assume, know that is a crime.

"Certainly you would like to be able to come out right away," he added. "This could have been wrapped up (faster) if the suspects were still there."

After the investigation shifted for a few days from the detective bureau back to patrol officers, the investigation began in earnest last Friday. Both women voluntarily came to the police station to be interviewed on Wednesday. Covington refused to make a statement and Green denied any involvement, police said. The two were arrested late Wednesday morning.

Nursing home administrator Paula Farnham had no comment, other than: "They're not our staff."

Indeed, both women were employed by contractors.

Covington was employed by Medical Registry in Safety Harbor. She was suspended after the allegation surfaced and will be fired now that she's been arrested, said co-owner Tracy Shindorf.

Shindorf said her company, which has been in business about two years, does background checks on employees. She said no problems were found in Covington's background, neither were there complaints against her in the year she has worked there.

Court records show Covington has previously been arrested on charges of passing forged checks, violating probation, drunken driving, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

Green worked for Unlimited Medstaff, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., for only about four months. She also was suspended after the allegations surfaced and now could face termination, said Tara Powers, a company spokeswoman.

Powers said her company, which has offices in 10 states, also does background checks. Records show Green has previous arrests for theft and uttering a forged instrument.

The elderly man who was beaten, Eugenio Martinez, was treated for his injuries at Sun Coast Hospital, then returned to the home. The Times tried to reach him Wednesday, but nursing staffers told a reporter he was sleeping.

Covington and Green both were being held at the Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.

-- Times researcher Kitty Bennett contributed to this report. Chris Tisch can be reached at 445-4156 or tisch@sptimes.com.

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