Probation for teens in St. Charles nursing home abuse case
Two 19-year-olds accused of abusing a St. Charles nursing home resident and video recording it pleaded guilty Friday to reduced charges and received two years probation and 100 hours of community service.
Chemyra A. Barnett, of the 300 block of Watch Court, Elgin, and Jacqueline T. Santos, of the 1300 block of Timber Lane, South Elgin, faced up to five years on the original charges of aggravated battery to a victim older than 60.
Instead, they each pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery under an agreement approved by Judge Susan Clancy Boles.
Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon issued a statement explaining his office's decision. McMahon called the teens' actions "heartless" and "egregious," but noted the victim did not suffer any physical injuries, the victim's family agreed to the reduced charges and the teens deserved a change at redemption.
"As this case progressed, its unique facts and circumstances came into clear view, as did the need for a disposition that strikes the right balance," McMahon said. "It is important that Miss Barnett and Miss Santos understand the heartless and harmful nation of their actions, and it is important for others to see that such actions will not go unpunished. But it also is important to give these two women a chance at redemption. I think this sentence accomplishes that."
According to prosecutors, Barnett and Santos were nursing assistants at the Rosewood Care Center, 850 Dunham Road, St. Charles, in March 2014 when they were assigned to use a medical device to lift the victim, a 97-year-old woman with dementia, back into her bed. Barnett, prosecutors said, began to lightly slap the victim in the face with a nylon strap from the lifting device and Santos used a cellphone to record it.
Santos later uploaded the video to social media, and on it, the victim cried out, "Don't! Don't" as the teens were heard laughing, prosecutors said.
Richard Irvin, the defense attorney for Barnett, thanked McMahon's office for reducing the charge. Irvin said his client is very sorry for what she did and wants to show the community, McMahon's office and her family she is worthy of a second chance.
"She's extremely sorrowful for what she did. Chemyra recognizes what she did was absolutely wrong and she accepts responsibility for it," Irvin said. "She's written apology letters to the victim and the victim's family."
Irvin added his client is enrolled in community college and plans to speak at high schools about her mistake.
Santos' defense attorney, Scott Kent, said his client made a dumb decision, also wrote apology letters and had never been in trouble before.
"There was no injuries at all (to the victim). That was a big part of it," Kent said. "She's been unbelievably remorseful throughout the whole process."
The two must complete community service hours within 18 months and also must pay $500 to Kane County Senior Services, maintain employment or attend college, and to have no contact with each other.
If they violate probation, each could be resentenced to up to a year in jail.