Polk County home health aide accused of sleeping on the job arrested in man’s death: ‘He was old anyway'

By FOX 13 News Staff
Updated  September 30, 2024 1:44pm EDT
FOX 13 News
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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - A home health aide in Polk County is being held without bond after investigators say she fell asleep, and an 86-year-old man died in her care.

Beatrice Taylor, 25, of Dundee was a health aide with Assisting Hands Home Health Care when she went to the home of an 86-year-old Winter Haven man on August 15.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office says the victim’s family hired around the clock care from Assisting Hands, which consisted of two 12-hour shifts during the day and night. The victim had recently been hospitalized and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He was also receiving services from Good Shepherd Hospice beginning on August 14, 2024. 

Investigators say Taylor was responsible for watching the victim overnight during a 12-hour shift, which began at 9 p.m. and if an emergency occurred, she was supposed to call 911.

According to PCSO, when Taylor arrived for her shift, the day shift aide told her that the victim and his wife were ready for bed, but not yet asleep.

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After the day shift nurse left, investigators say Taylor fell asleep on the couch in the living room, which is against company policy that states she should not have been sleeping.

Deputies say Taylor woke up around 1 a.m. on August 16 and heard a thump coming from the victim’s bedroom.

According to PCSO, Taylor went into the bedroom and saw the victim lying on his right side, on the floor, with his head wedged in between the nightstand and the bed.

She told detectives that she tried to help him back into bed but that he told her not to touch him, so she left him on the floor and did not call anyone, including 911 or her employer, which is against company policy.

Deputies say she then fell back asleep and did not wake up until sometime between 3:45 and 4:53 a.m. 

Beatrice Taylor mugshot. Courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff's Office. 

Taylor called her parents and spoke with them for approximately 36 minutes, and then while still on the phone, she checked on the victim and found him still on the floor and now unresponsive, according to PCSO.

Investigators said her parents told her to call 911. However, according to PCSO, Taylor hung up and called Assisting Hands first, and left a message through the company portal; she then called 911 at around 5:37 a.m. 

An autopsy showed that the patient had an implanted pacemaker.

The device manufacturer was later able to conduct a download and provide cardiac data stored on the victim’s implanted pacemaker which confirmed that the victim was still alive at 1:00 a.m. when the victim was initially found by Taylor lying on the floor.

According to the Medical Examiner, had Taylor called 911 when she first found the victim, as required by her own company’s policy, the victim would not have died. The Medical Examiner ruled the victim’s cause of death positional asphyxia with a contributory cause of pre-existing health issues.

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When Taylor was arrested, investigators say she did nothing wrong and she "didn’t kill that man." One of the paramedics who arrived after Taylor eventually called 911 overheard her say to someone on the phone, "He was old anyway, so what does it matter?"

Assisting Hands confirmed that Taylor had worked for them for approximately eight months. However, she did not show back up to work after August 16 and was terminated.

She was a licensed home health aide, having completed 10 online courses and passed a state exam. She does not have a medical license and is not a nurse. The courses include caring for patients with Alzheimer’s, basic life support including CPR, using an AED, and performing the Heimlich maneuver.

"The complete disregard for Mr. Anderson’s life by the person who was employed by his family is completely outrageous, and egregious," said Sheriff Grady Judd. "I believe someone who was not even being paid to look after this elderly man would have immediately dialed 911 under these circumstances. Her behavior and attitude are simply deplorable. Mr. Anderson’s family members are in our prayers."

Taylor has been charged with one count of aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person.

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