Life & Health

A 26-year-old Nepali nursing assistant could face a lengthy jail term for assaulting four elderly residents at an aged care home in Australia.  

During a court hearing on Monday, Asmita Pandey, admitted to slapping and pushing elderly patients at Estia Health in Epping, in north-west Sydney, Australian media outlet 9News reported.

Pandey was arrested on March 30, 2022 after her colleagues reported her violent outbursts to the New South Wales Police. She was reported to have assaulted two residents, aged 92 and 87, at the facility. The 87-year-old woman had reportedly suffered facial injuries.

An investigation was launched and police were made aware of two other alleged assaults on 95-year-old women residents.

She was spotted beating an elderly resident with a shower head and also bragging to her coworkers in the tea room punching a resident in the face.

Joan Murray, 95, who suffers from dementia, was one of her victims.

"It's quite confronting to get a phone call that's telling you that someone that you've placed into a care situation has been mistreated in such a way," her daughter told nine.com.au.

The family of Therzina Morrison said that the great-grandmother has never been the same. Rita Ball, who is also said to have been a victim, had bruises so bad that she had to be hospitalised, the Australian media reported.

"It's absolutely appalling, she weighs 43 kilos, she's asleep," daughter Robyn Ball said.

"If it hadn't been for the witnesses coming forward she'd probably still be perpetrating it and carrying out these assaults on the older residents," another victim's family member told 9News on Monday.

Estia Health's Chief Executive Officer Sean Bilton said the facility had terminated Pandey's employment contract. "This distressing matter is now reaching its conclusion and our thoughts are with our residents and their families."

Pandey, who is now pregnant, has been banned from working in healthcare, 9News report said. She will be sentenced in March.

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