By Ciara Perez, News Reporter | iSkyCreations - News & Media (ISC)
Published September 30th, 2024
Winter Haven, FL — A home health care aide in Polk County has been charged with aggravated manslaughter following the tragic death of an 86-year-old Winter Haven man in her care. According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO), 25-year-old Beatrice Taylor of Dundee was arrested on September 26, 2024, after an investigation revealed she failed to provide critical assistance to the man or call 9-1-1 during a medical emergency, leading to his death.
Taylor, employed by Assisting Hands Home Health Care, was assigned to care for the elderly patient overnight in his Winter Haven home, where he lived with his wife. The patient, who had recently been diagnosed with congestive heart failure, was receiving hospice care from Good Shepherd Hospice. His family had arranged 24-hour care, with two 12-hour shifts divided between day and night caregivers.
Video courtesy of Polk County Sheriff's Office (PCSO)
According to the affidavit, Taylor began her shift at 9:00 p.m. on August 15, 2024, and was expected to monitor the patient and respond to any emergencies. When the previous health aide handed over duties, the patient and his wife were settling in for bed. Shortly after her colleague left, Taylor reportedly fell asleep on the living room couch, a violation of her company's policies.
At 1:00 a.m., Taylor woke up after hearing a thump from the bedroom. Upon investigation, she found the elderly man on the floor, wedged between his bed and nightstand. Despite being required to seek help in such situations, Taylor did not call 9-1-1 or her employer. Instead, she claimed the man told her not to touch him, so she left him on the floor and returned to sleep.
Taylor didn’t wake again until sometime between 3:45 and 4:53 a.m., but instead of immediately attending to the patient, she spent 36 minutes on the phone with her parents. It was only after her parents advised her to call for help that she finally checked on the man again and found him unresponsive. She called her employer, Assisting Hands, and left a message through the company's portal before finally dialing 9-1-1 at 5:37 a.m.
An investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office revealed numerous violations of company policies during Taylor's shift. Aides are required to stay awake, submit care notes throughout their shifts, and call for help immediately if a patient falls. These requirements were not met.
An autopsy conducted by the Medical Examiner determined that the elderly man died from positional asphyxia, with pre-existing health issues contributing to his death. Data retrieved from the victim’s pacemaker confirmed he was still alive at 1:00 a.m. when Taylor first found him on the floor. The Medical Examiner concluded that if Taylor had called 9-1-1 immediately, the patient could have survived.
In a statement made during her arrest, Taylor denied any wrongdoing, claiming, "I didn’t kill that man." However, paramedics who responded to the scene reported overhearing her make a callous remark over the phone, saying, "He was old anyway so what does it matter."
Sheriff Grady Judd condemned Taylor's actions, stating, "The complete disregard for Mr. Anderson’s life by the person who was employed by his family is completely outrageous and egregious. I believe someone who was not even being paid to look after this elderly man would have immediately dialed 9-1-1 under these circumstances. Her behavior and attitude are simply deplorable."
Taylor had been employed with Assisting Hands for approximately eight months. Following the incident, she did not return to work and was subsequently terminated. While she had completed online courses in basic life support, including CPR and the Heimlich maneuver, Taylor did not possess a medical license and was not a nurse.
Taylor is being held in the Polk County Jail without bond, facing charges of aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person (F-1).
The victim’s family has requested privacy as they mourn the loss of their loved one.
Key Takeaways:
Beatrice Taylor, a 25-year-old home health aide, was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter after failing to provide care or call 9-1-1 for an elderly Winter Haven man in her care.
The incident occurred on August 16, 2024, when Taylor found the 86-year-old man on the floor but neglected to seek help, violating her company’s policies.
An autopsy confirmed the patient died from positional asphyxia, and experts believe he could have survived if emergency services had been contacted immediately.
Taylor was employed by Assisting Hands Home Health Care for eight months before being terminated after the incident.
She remains in the Polk County Jail without bond, facing serious charges.
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She should be ashamed of letting those words fly out of her mouth saying he’s old anyways what does it matter.Well let me tell you one thing it matters “life matters “.He was 86 he could have live to 96 our life is in God’s hand not man.But I’m praying that God will be with you,because you’re going to need him ,you made a bad choice to sleep when you’re suppose to be working.I do home health myself and I work overnight not sleep.
Teresa Faye Tillis Wooten
6h ago
She chose life or death for this man.Yes,he was old ,but he had a right to live and I wish they would give her death penalty.Otherwise she will be old one day.
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