A nurse at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital has been arrested and charged with felony robbery and elder abuse, among other counts, after she allegedly stole items like jewelry from at least three patients.
Stephanie Phillips-Siwiec, 54, of Woodstock, was initially arrested Saturday on multiple counts of theft, Roswell police said. She was released from the Fulton County Jail the following day but arrested a second time Wednesday on additional charges after police said their investigation led them to two new alleged victims.
Phillips-Siwiec was again booked into the jail on new charges: three counts of elder abuse, three counts of robbery and one count of aggravated battery, jail records show. She remains in jail on a bond of $140,000, according to court records.
A police report shows the initial incident took place Sept. 28. The alleged victim, a 95-year-old woman, was wearing an 18-karat gold chain bracelet when she was taken to the hospital in an ambulance, the report said. When the woman’s daughter visited her in the hospital later that day, she discovered the bracelet was missing. The daughter reported the theft to the hospital and contacted police Oct. 4.
Police did not share details about how the ensuing accusations were levied against Phillips-Siwiec. Jail records show that her charges stem from two other incidents that took place Aug. 19 and Aug. 28, respectively.
In a statement, Wellstar Health System said Philips-Siwiec had been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.
“These allegations, if true, go against everything we stand for as caregivers,” a spokesman for the hospital system said. “Every person should feel safe and comfortable when they receive care. We are cooperating with the investigating authorities and will take further action as appropriate. We have apologized to the patient and her family.”
The statement also noted that Wellstar takes precautions during the hiring process to prevent such incidents from happening in the first place.
“We conduct thorough employee background checks and encourage our team members and patients to report their concerns, which they can do anonymously, to help ensure the highest levels of care and safety,” the spokesman said.
Fulton jail and court records show no prior felony arrests for Phillips-Siwiec.
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