Home health aide accused of ignoring elderly man’s fall that led to his death, police say: ‘He was old anyway’

Beatrice Taylor, 25, faces one count of aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person.

• A Florida home health aide has been arrested after an 86-year-old patient died in her care.

• Beatrice Taylor, 25, faces one count of aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person in connection with the death of the patient who died at her Winter Haven home on Aug. 15.

• Taylor was also allegedly heard on the phone by a paramedic who arrived at the home to respond to the incident, stating, “He was old anyway, so who cares,” according to a press release issued by authorities.

A Florida home health aide has been arrested after an 86-year-old patient died while in her care.

Beatrice Taylor, 25, faces one count of aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person in connection with the death of the patient who died at her Winter Haven home on Aug. 15, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office of Polk County.

According to authorities, the victim’s family hired a home care company to care for the victim who was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

Taylor was assigned to care for the patient overnight in the home he shared with his wife. According to authorities, Taylor’s shift started at 9 p.m. local time, and she “immediately fell asleep” on the living room couch, which was not allowed during her shift, the press release said.

Authorities said Taylor woke up at 1 a.m. after hearing a “thud” coming from the patient’s room.

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She reportedly checked on the elderly man and found him lying on the floor with his head stuck between the nightstand and the bed. However, when she tried to put him back to bed, he told her not to touch him, she said, according to the release.

Authorities say she left it on the floor and went back to sleep. When she got up around 4 a.m., she talked to her parents for about 30 minutes before checking on the victim, according to the news release.

Authorities said she found him unconscious on the ground. Her parents told her to call 911, but she allegedly hung up and called her employer before calling 911 around 5:30 a.m., according to the release.

An autopsy later determined the victim died from positional asphyxia with contributing factors to pre-existing health conditions.

According to authorities, during the autopsy, an implanted pacemaker was discovered, and cardiac data later showed that the victim was “still alive at 1:00 a.m. when he was initially found by Taylor lying on the ground”.

“According to the medical examiner, if Taylor had called 911 when she first found the victim, as required by her own company policy, the victim would not have died,” the statement said.

Police said Taylor allegedly made several statements after her arrest, including saying that she “did not kill this man,” according to the press release.

Taylor was also allegedly heard on the phone by a paramedic who arrived at the home, stating, “He was old anyway, so who cares,” according to the release.

“The complete disregard for Mr. Anderson’s life by the person who was employed by his family is completely outrageous and blatant,” Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said. “I believe that someone who was not even paid to care for this elderly man would have immediately called 911 under these circumstances. His behavior and attitude is simply deplorable. Members of Mr. Anderson’s family are in our prayers.”

According to the sheriff’s office, Taylor was arrested on Thursday, September 26, and her company fired her after the incident. She is currently being held without bail.

An arraignment hearing is scheduled for October 29. It is unclear whether she has pleaded guilty at the time of publication. PEOPLE attempted to contact Taylor’s attorneys, but they could not be reached for comment.

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