Elder Abuse Can Put You In Jail!
According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, “the number of verified cases of elder abuse and neglect has climbed 74% since 2011. In 2015, the statewide total was 2,525.” The majority of elder abuse takes place at home though there is also elder abuse at nursing care facilities.
Around 1/3 of the abusers in a home situation are the children of the victim. The abusers in a nursing care facility range from nurses, care givers, to even other residents of the facility.
Elder abuse can be physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect or abandonment, financial abuse, and healthcare fraud. A few of the signs of abuse include:
•Changes in personality or behavior of the elderly person
•Unexplained injuries
•Actually witnessing controlling behavior from a caregiver
•Venereal disease or infections in the genitals
•Weight loss, Being dirty, Unsafe living conditions
•Items missing from the elder’s home such as valuables
•Changes in wills, titles, etc.
•Evidence of over or under medication
•Unpaid bills
•Unusual withdrawals from the elder’s checking/savings account
•The elderly victim not having any access to his/her financial records, bank statements when requesting them
According to Florida statute 825.102, elder abuse is “abuse, neglect, or aggravated abuse of an elderly individual or disabled adult. It is elder abuse when the victim is older than 60 years old. When the adult is at least 18 years old but under 61 years of age, it is considered abuse of a disabled adult.” In Florida, elder abuse is a felony. The charge is a third degree felony though that can change to a first degree felony if the elder has suffered serious bodily harm or being permanently disfigured. The punishment can be up to five years in prison for a 3rd degree felony and up to 30 years in prison for a 1st degree felony. Financial elder abuse is a first degree felony if more than $100,000 is taken from the accounts and is a 2nd degree felony if the amount ranges from $20,000 to $100,000.
It is upsetting and sad to see abuse to a victim at any age. Many are not aware that what they are doing to an elderly family member could be considered abuse. If you are charged with elder abuse the bail bond team at Orlando’s 33rd Street Bail Bonds can help you. To start the bail bond process, please call 407-425-7200 or 407-425-3303. A bail bond agent is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and all year long. Our knowledgeable and friendly bail bond agents can walk a client step by step through the bail bond procedures along with answer any questions he or she may have. We also bail clients from jail for domestic violence, DUI, drug trafficking, and more.
We serve all of Central Florida including Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, and Volusia counties. We are family owned and operated and have been serving Central Florida since 1971. We are the name that you can trust!
If you suspect elder abuse, please call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873.