A former caregiver was arrested Oct. 2 following a nearly year-long investigation of the death of an 80 year old resident of a senior living facility in Calabasas. Cesar Ulloa is also suspected of abusing three other elderly residents of the home.
The investigation of the additional three counts of nursing home abuse was sparked by the suspicious death of resident, Elmore Kittower. After Kittower died, authorities were tipped off that he had been beaten by a staff member moments before his death.
Autopsy Results Confirm Abuse
Results from an autopsy showed that Kittower died from a blood clot in his lung. However, the reports stated that “blunt force trauma” contributed to his death, confirming that he has been beaten by someone moments before he died. The report also noted that he had bruises all over his body and was suffering from fractured ribs.
The investigation of Kittower’s death led officials to dig deeper into the wellbeing of the elderly residents. What they discovered is three additional counts of elder abuse.
One of the victims, a 78-year old woman, was allegedly body-slammed into her bed. The woman suffers from a brain condition which has made her unable to speak, which, according to her son, “makes her the perfect victim.”
Caregiver Arrested for Nursing Home Abuse
The former caregiver, Ulloa, 20, has been charged with four counts of elder abuse and one count of torture. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in Los Angeles Superior Court.
According to Mark Mostow, spokesman for Silverado Senior Living, the company follows strict screening processes of all employees before they are hired. He said the screening process includes criminal record checks, drug tests and reference tests. All employees are also required to go through an elder-abuse reporting program put on by the California Department of Justice.