Three young nurses were arrested for exploiting an elderly patient's death at an assisted living facility in Georgia.
Jorden Lanah Bruce, 21; Mya Janai Moss, 21; and Lizeth Jocelyn Cervantes Ramirez, 19, filmed a lewd Snapchat video titled: "The End," in which they intentionally ignored a dying patient who had suffered from a stroke.
The 76-year-old woman was seen in the background of the video while the trio shouted obscenities at the camera.
A Jefferson Police Department detective told WSB that the 76-year-old woman seen in the background of the video "had a stroke and [the three employees] were waiting on a hospice nurse." He added that the employees didn't tend to the patient while waiting in her room.
One of them was smoking a vape pen. They were using profanities and (making obscene hand gestures) at the camera.
Social media users harshly criticized the three women for their behavior.
A spokesman for the care facility told the Athens Banner-Herald:
It was going to be an extensive time before the hospice nurse could be there, so these three employees were supposed to closely monitor the patient. They were completely ignoring her and posting the Snapchat video.
The Snapchat story was posted on June 13. A few days later, another employee at the Bentley Senior Living center in Jefferson happened to recognize the three women and contacted authorities. The employees were arrested on June 22 and charged with felony and misdemeanor crimes.
A Newsweek article cited Chapter 5 under Title 30 of Georgia's legal code, saying it protects disabled adults and elderly persons.
The code states that charges can be applied towards anyone "who knowingly and willfully exploits a disabled adult, elder person, or resident, willfully inflicts physical pain, physical injury, sexual abuse, mental anguish, or unreasonable confinement upon a disabled adult, elder person, or resident, or willfully deprives of essential services a disabled adult, elder person, or resident."
Bruce and Moss were released after posting bond, but 19-year-old Ramirez was being held by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
