Thinking it would be a great practical joke on the following shift, facility employees Julie Payne and Cynthia Orlando reportedly thought it would be funny to insert a suppository into the rectum of a defenseless Alzheimer’s resident on July 9, 2010. Orlando and Payne, a registered nurse and certified nurse’s aide respectively, allegedly held down resident Kenneth Mahoney and inserted an unnecessary suppository into his rectum to produce a large bowel movement for the next nursing shift. After state police and the Illinois Department of Public Health investigated the incident, Payne and Orlando were charged with a Class A misdemeanor battery. The women face up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

The family of Kenneth Mahoney filed a civil lawsuit against the women seeking in excess of $200,000. The suit reportedly accuses the women of inflicting emotional distress on Mahoney and alleges that Mahoney “has suffered and continues to suffer permanent injury”. The suit further alleges that the Mahoney’s nerves, nervous system, and mental faculties were severely injured and shocked from the incident and that he has become “sick, sore, lame, and disordered”.

This is a disgusting and appalling case. In our opinion, these two employees should be facing far stiffer punishment than they are. There is nothing funny about assaulting anyone, much less an Alzheimer’s patient who is among the more vulnerable people in our society. We wish the family of the resident well as they seek justice for their loved one.

St. Louis Nursing Home Abuse Attorney David Terry is experienced in handling cases of nursing home abuse and neglect. If you suspect that a family member or friend is suffering abuse at the hands of “trusted” caregivers, contact the Terry Law Firm to schedule a free, no obligation consultation to investigate your options at 1-888-317-2525 or 314-878-9797.