| TRENTON
- Attorney General Stuart Rabner and Division
of Criminal Justice Director Gregory A.
Paw announced that an Ocean County Certified
Nurse Assistant has been charged with stealing
pain medication from a 93-year-old nursing
home patient.
According
to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden
Brown, Helen Williamson, 24, of Manahawkin,
was indicted yesterday by an Ocean County
grand jury on charges of third-degree neglect
of an elderly person and third-degree theft
from the person.
The
indictment alleges that in October 2004,
Williamson neglected to take proper care
of a patient at the Manahawkin Convalescent
Center. An investigation determined that
Williamson allegedly stole duragesic medication
patches from the patient. A duragesic patch
time releases pain medication to patients
requiring such therapy. Williamson allegedly
cut the patches open and ingested the medication.
She was dismissed from her job at the convalescent
center
State
Investigator Anthony Iannice and Deputy
Attorney General William Hoyman are handling
the case for the Office of Insurance Fraud
Prosecutor’s Medicaid Fraud Control
Unit, which investigates Medicaid fraud
as well as abuse or neglect of the elderly
and disabled.
The
matter will be referred to the Department
of Health and Senior Services, which certifies
Nurses’ Assistants, for any action
deemed appropriate regarding Williamson’s
certification.
The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendant is presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Third-degree crimes carry a maximum
punishment of five years in state prison
and a criminal fine of $15,000.
The
Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor is
the centralized state agency that investigates
and prosecutes both civil and criminal insurance
fraud, as well as Medicaid fraud.
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