POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Beatrice Taylor, a 25-year-old home health aide from Dundee, was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter of an elderly Winter Haven man. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office alleges that Taylor neglected to call 9-1-1 or provide care to an 86-year-old patient under her care, leading to his death.
According to the investigation, Taylor was employed by Assisting Hands Home Health Care and was assigned to the overnight shift at the victim’s home in Winter Haven. The victim had recently been hospitalized with congestive heart failure and was also receiving hospice care.
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On August 15th, Taylor began her shift at 9:00 p.m. Shortly after the day shift aide left, Taylor fell asleep on the couch, a violation of company policy. She awoke at 1:00 a.m. to a thump and found the victim on the floor.
Despite his pleas for help, Taylor did not call 9-1-1 or her employer, again violating company policy. She fell back asleep and only checked on the victim again between 3:45 and 4:53 a.m., finding him unresponsive. Only then did she call her parents, who instructed her to call 9-1-1.
The victim’s pacemaker data confirmed he was still alive at 1:00 a.m. The Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death as positional asphyxia, stating that the victim would not have died had Taylor called 9-1-1 when she first found him.
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Taylor has been terminated from Assisting Hands and is currently being held in the Polk County Jail without bond.
“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. Mr. Anderson’s family members are in our prayers,” said Sheriff Grady Judd.
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