A caregiver in Cherry Hill, N.J. was charged with first-degree murder after beating an 82-year-old man to death with his cane, reported the courierpostonline.com of South Jersey.
Yolanda Steele of Camden is charged with beating Sidney Wenof on Dec. 11 while his wife was there, the Cherry Hill Police Department reported. An ambulance arrived after a medical alert system in the home was activated. Wenof lost consciousness at Cooper University Hospital and died the next day.
Unlicensed, Steele worked 12-hour days, five days caring for Wenof and his wife, Theora, according to Jason Laughlin of the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. He said the Wenofs found Steele through Steele’s mother, who once had cared for the Wenofs. Prosecutor’s office investigators said Steele allegedly stole money from the Wenofs’ bank accounts and also forged checks.
Possibly from Theora Wenof, Laughlin learned the deceased suspected financial foul play and was taking action to find the thief. There was no evidence Wenof confronted his caregiver, which might have led to the fatal beating.
Steele had been sentenced to probation in June for theft by deception and forgery in a separate incident, according to Camden County Court records.
Son-in-law Mark Roberts said, “Sidney was a good man and well respected in the community. He was a family man who was dedicated to his wife, children and grandchildren."
The Camden County Criminal Examiner’s Office said Wenof died from blunt-force trauma. That report upgraded criminal charges from aggravated assault to murder. Steele is jailed without bond in Camden County pending arraignment in Superior Court.
Tom Slater, spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, said not all caregivers in New Jersey need to be licensed, especially family members. However, home-health aides (HHA), registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) do require licenses, according to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. "…Care givers become abusive," Slater said. "They're under a great deal of stress...”
The National Center for Elder Abuse reports, "1-2 million Americans age 65 or older have been injured, exploited or mistreated by someone on whom they are dependent for care."
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