Earlier this month, Costa Mesa Police Department officials arrested a female caregiver for alleged Elder Abuse after being caught on surveillance video repeatedly beating a 91-year-old Costa Mesa woman left in her care.
In 2015 the victim’s family employed two women to provide a 24-hour in-home care service to the disabled elder. According to a Costa Mesa Police Department officer, 50-year-old Rima Abikaramm of Fullerton was one of those caregivers.
At some point during the five years of continuous service, the other caregiver noticed that the 91-year-old Jane Doe had noticeable injuries and expressed concern to the elder’s family, police said. That urged them to install a hidden camera in her home to monitor the situation.
“The family subsequently installed a hidden camera in the elder room to monitor the victim’s care,” the police official statement said. “Ultimately, the hidden camera revealed Abikaram was abusing and striking the victim.” They concluded.
During the investigation, police combed through video footage from the residence and the older woman’s medical records. They determined that Abikaram had repeatedly hit the victim over four days, striking her at least 150 times. Records showed she suffered from facial swelling, a black eye, and a laceration to her arm.
According to the statement, the victim’s family ended Abikaram’s employment and officially reported the elder abuse case to police on Aug. 18, 2020. An officer went to the senior’s home to take a report the same day.
Abikaram was arrested without incident at her home on Tuesday, September 1st. According to inmate records, she was taken into jail and then released the following day after posting bond.
The case has been turned over to the Orange County District Attorney’s office. Baha Eldin of the DA’s office said Friday, September 4th; charges had not yet been filed against Abikaram.
If you are looking Medical Malpractice Attorney in Los Angeles or Elderly Healthcare Abuse? Here at Gharibian Law, we recognize that there is always an inherent risk for healthcare, and we welcome your call to have a legal consultation to see if we can help you with your case.
Contact us at 888-288-0091 or through our website.