A Cobb County caretaker turned herself in Friday after allegedly shoving an 86-year-old dementia patient to the ground, breaking her hip and fracturing her wrist.
Shelia Renee Knight, 61, of Douglasville, was assigned to tend to Pearl Conner at the Legacy at Walton Overlook, a retirement community in downtown Acworth, police said.
Knight, a fill-in caretaker, was hired by Conner’s family to look after the woman on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday for eight hours at a time, police said. Last Friday, however, police were called to the apartment after Knight shoved Conner to the ground, according to an Acworth police report.
Officers reviewed an in-home surveillance system and witnessed the shove, Acworth police spokeswoman Cpl. Youlanda McIntosh said.
According to Knight’s warrant, she did not immediately call 911 or seek medical treatment.
Police reports also show Knight tried to leave the apartment before officers could question her. She told them Conner was having a good day until about 4 p.m., when the woman allegedly followed her to the restroom and tried to barricade her inside by moving a bookcase in front of the door. The officer wrote in his report that he didn’t believe Conner would be able to move anything given her physical state.
“It was extremely concerning to see the caregiver — how nonchalant she was after this pretty significant fall,” Acworth police Capt. Mark Cheatham told Channel 2 Action News. “Given the behavior that’s exhibited on the video, it’s deeply concerning to think that she would be responsible for anyone else and their welfare.”
Knight was released after speaking with authorities, but a warrant for her arrest was issued the following day, records show.
She is charged with one count each of aggravated battery against someone 65 or older and neglect to a disabled adult, elderly person or resident of a long-term care facility, both of which are felonies.
As of Tuesday morning, Knight remained in the Cobb jail without bond.
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