Attorney General Moody Announces Arrest of Caregiver Abusing Florida Seniors
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with the assistance of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, arrested a former senior caregiver for abusing senior residents. According to the MFCU investigation, Twicka Jones, aka Tumicka Jones or Nikki Jones, pushed two elderly dementia residents resulting in them falling to the ground. Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Our seniors in assisted living facilities deserve the utmost care and respect. Especially dementia patients who may already feel vulnerable or scared. I am sickened by this caregiver’s actions, and my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit will hold her responsible for these crimes."Jones worked at The Beacon at Gulf Breeze, a Medicaid receiving facility in Santa Rosa County. The MFCU investigation found video footage showing Jones aggressively pushing two elderly individuals to the ground. The first incident resulted in an elderly dementia resident bleeding from the back and head. The resident then had to be transported by ambulance for further care. Another video shows a confrontation with a separate dementia resident who may have tried to assist the first victim. Jones then pushed the second victim, who fell on their hip and back. The video then shows Jones stepping around the second victim and walking away without helping or requesting further care for the victim. Jones is charged with two counts of abuse of an elderly person, both third-degree felonies. If convicted, Jones faces up to 10 years in state prison. Assistant Attorney General Christi Hankins of Attorney General Moody’s MFCU will prosecute the cases through an agreement with the State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit.
# # #The Florida MFCU is funded through a grant totaling $27,734,297 for Federal Fiscal Year 2022, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The Federal Share of these funds is 75% totaling $20,800,724. The State Matching Share of these funds is 25% totaling $6,933,573 and is funded by Florida.
