Police arrested three employees of an assisted living facility in Winston-Salem, North Carolina after they organized a “fight-club” among its elderly and disabled residents.
The case came to light when, in June, police got a report concerning the assault of an elderly resident. Police officers with the police department’s Criminal Investigations Division and N.C. Department of Health and Human Resources started an investigation.
It turned out that three staff members at Danby House, an assisted-living and memory care facility on Burke Mill Road, had instigated fights among the inhabitants. No injuries were reported, but in at least one incident, one of the residents got shoved by a caretaker.
On Oct. 2, Taneshia Deshawn Jordan, 26, of Clemson Circle, was arrested and charged with assaulting an individual with a disability and held on a $1,500 bond.
The next day, Tonacia Yvonne Tyson, 20, of Cedar Ridge Circle, was arrested on the same charge. She was released on a written promise to appear in court.
On Oct. 10, police arrested Marily Latish McKey, 32, of Underwood Avenue, on two counts of assaulting an individual with a disability. McKey is being held on a $1,000 bond.
According to the warrant, Jordan also recorded at least one such fight on video, Fox reported.
Meanwhile, in June, Danby House didn’t wait for the investigation and fired the three culprits. Danby House in a statement said it has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to endangering the wellbeing of its clients:
“Danby House has a zero-tolerance policy for the mistreatment of those in our care, and as such, McKey, Tyson, and Jordan were terminated immediately in June when community management was alerted to this situation. Administrators have been working closely with the Winston-Salem Police Department throughout its investigation to ensure justice is served. Additional staff training and a more rigorous vetting process has been implemented for all new and existing employees at Danby House …”
When the news became public, it sparked an outcry of rage on social media.
One facebook user said: “A disgrace to the human race. These same people are supposed to be taking care of those who cannot care for themselves. Disgusting. They should not have been released and should be locked up for a long time.”
Another said: “I’m disgusted. Throw them all in a room and let them beat one another, see how it feels!”
The three women are set to appear in court on Nov. 14.
