Elder Abuse Lawsuit Results in $1.2 Million Verdict After Assault Caught on Video

An Oklahoma jury has awarded $1.2 million in damages to the family of a 96-year-old nursing home resident who was abused, after a hidden camera caught a nursing home employee hitting her and shoving rubber gloves into her mouth. 

The verdict was handed down on Friday by a federal court in a case filed by the three daughters of Eryeth Mayberry, who was a victim of elder abuse while residing at an Oklahoma City nursing home in 2012.

Mayberry was a resident of Quail Creek Nursing Home when her family began to suspect that she was the victim of abuse and installed a hidden camera in her room.

The video captured extremely disturbing evidence of elder abuse in April 2012, when a nurse’s aide shoved a latex glove into Mayberry’s mouth and another was seen hitting her on the head.

One of the aids, Lucy Gakunga, was convicted on abuse by caretaker charges. The other aide, Caroline Kaseke, is on the run from police and has a warrant out for her arrest. Both were fired when the hidden video was released.

The elder abuse lawsuit was filed against the nursing home, alleging that the management company that ran the facility, Westlake Nursing Home Limited Partnerhip, was negligent. The family claimed that the company knew or hould have known about the abuse, but failed to act promptly even after being made aware of potential problems.

The verdict includes $1.2 million for charges of negligence, and $10,000 in punitive damages.

Mayberry died several months after the abuse video was released to the public in 2012.