A home health aide from Jersey City was granted a license even after she was charged with simple assault, a New York television news station reported.
A home health aide from Jersey City was granted a license even after she was charged with simple assault, a New York television news station reported.
Gloria Pagonzaga, who was not licensed at the time, was charged after the Bergen County family of a 99-year-old woman she was caring for saw surveillance video footage of Pagonzaga feigning punches at the woman, NBC in New York reported.
Pagonzaga also is seen in video footage apparently poking the 99-year-old with a pillow.
Claudia and Vincent Proietti, the family of the elderly woman, told the news station they are shocked that Pagonzaga could apply and receive a license as a home health aide after she was charged with a crime related to that job.
The Proietta's had set up a camera because of thefts by prior home health aides, and did not look at any footage of Pagonzaga until she abruptly quit, the news station reported. The 99-year-old, who suffered from dementia, died in the spring, according to the report.
The woman's family is speaking out now because they do not want to see any other family be victimized. State officials told the news station that if a person is merely charged with a crime, the state could not use that to withhold a license.
