An alleged physical altercation between a New York nursing home aide and a resident has reportedly resulted in the resident's death. Cherrylee Young, 41, now faces negligent homicide charges and is scheduled to appear before a grand jury. According to authorities the physical altercation caused the resident to fall and fatally impale himself on part of a table.
According to the New York Times, the fight broke at the 46-bed University Nursing Home in the Bronx on December 8th, allegedly after 77-year-old Frank Mercado repeatedly set off his bed alarm. Workers reportedly found Young and Mercado on the floor, with Young repeatedly punching the resident.
The Medical Examiner determined that a table was knocked over during the altercation, and a rod attached to the table tore the resident's rectum, causing fatal internal bleeding. According to the Daily News, Police claimed that it took hours for nursing home staff to notice Mercado's deteriorating health and send him to the hospital.
Young, arrested Dec. 9, appeared Monday in Bronx Criminal Court, claiming that Mercado attacked her and that she acted in self-defense. She agreed to testify before a grand jury, but said she will plead not guilty if indicted for negligent homicide. The charges could change depending on the grand jury's findings, according to Bronx Assistant District Attorney Nancy Borko.
University Nursing Home released a statement expressing “profound regret” over the incident, and offering condolences to the family of Mercado, a four-year resident. "The University Nursing Home, which has a five-star rating from Medicare.gov and an exemplary healthcare history, is assisting the NYPD and the medical examiner in their investigation of this matter," the statement read.
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