OKC Women Accused Of Abusing Nursing Home Patient

Police arrested two women for abusing a 96-year-old patient at a Northwest Oklahoma City nursing home.

It happened at the Quail Creek Nursing and Rehab Center near Rockwell and Memorial. The abuse was all caught on video. The police report states the family placed a hidden camera in their loved one's room about a year ago.

Oklahoma City police arrested 23-year-old Lucy Gakunga and 28-year-old Caroline Kaseke after viewing the video. They arrested the women while they were at work at the Quail Creek Nursing and Rehab Center.

The police report states on that hidden camera video, Gakunga is seen slapping the 96-year-old patient in the face with latex gloves, and then shoving those gloves into her mouth.

The video also shows Kaseke in the room watching her co-worker abusing the patient, and not doing anything to stop it.

"They did interview both of these women, and of course their stories continued to change and it appears they may have been in communications with each other and tried to come up with a story to tell the officers, but ultimately they were both arrested for abuse by caretaker," said Jennifer Wardlow with the Oklahoma City police department.

Quail Creek Nursing and Rehab Center was cited last month for failing to develop or implement abuse and neglect policies at their facility, after not doing a background check on one of their nursing aids.

Wes Bledsoe is the founder of A Perfect Cause, a group that advocates for the rights of nursing home patients and their families.

"It is imperative for you to use a video monitoring device because without a situation like this would have never been discovered," Bledsoe said.

Bledsoe also recommends families to investigate their loved one's nursing homes thoroughly, and to tour the facilities on a regular basis.

Kaseke is out of jail. But Gakunga is still behind bars. Formal charges are pending.