The Green Bay Press Gazette reports that two former Wisconsin nursing home workers have been sentenced after being accused of using cell phones to record and share images of unclothed elderly patients. The victims were 81- and 84-year-old residents of the facility.
Michelle Bulger of Cecil, WI (age 23) and Ashley Schaumberg of Pulaski, WI (age 20) were sentenced in Brown County Court this month.
The defendants worked as caregivers at Brookview Meadows, an assisted-living community in Howard, WI. An attorney for the facility says both were suspended when the allegations surfaced in November 2012, and fired after an internal investigation.
According to the report, a co-worker reported to supervisors that the two women had sent her photos of residents in partial or complete states of undress. One of the pictures showed a resident vomiting. The photos were sent via Snapchat, which deletes photos after allowing them to be viewed for a few seconds, according to the criminal complaint.
When confronted, the two admitted taking pictures and sharing them with each other and friends, the complaint says. The Press Gazette reports that both women pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of invasion of privacy through use of a surveillance device and disorderly conduct. Both were given two years probation. Bulger was sentenced additionally to six months in jail and Schaumberg to 30 days in jail.
The Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm represents clients in cases involving catastrophic injury caused by nursing homes and other care facilities that fail to provide proper care. If you believe your loved one has been harmed due neglect or abuse, take action today and contact the Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm online or call us toll-free at (877) 552-2873 to set up a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
