Health aide charged in abuse of elderly women

NORTH LIMA — A woman who worked as an aide at the Glenellen senior living center is charged with abusing two elderly residents there.

Michelle A. Chester, 23, of Austintown, was arraigned in County Court in Canfield on Wednesday on the felony charges of patient abuse.

She is accused of abuse in two episodes that occurred within two hours of each other Oct. 26, said Carl Frost, Beaver Township police chief.

Both episodes involved 85-year-old women, police reports indicate.

Frost said Chester has denied abusing the women.

Frost, reading from the police department’s file, said:

UA co-worker reported witnessing both events. In one, Chester was trying to persuade the woman to take a shower, Frost said, but the woman insisted she’d already had one. Chester tricked her into the bathroom, where it’s alleged she started to rip off her clothes, he said. When the woman began to struggle and scream for someone to call police, Chester is alleged to have slapped her face, Frost said.

UIn the second episode, Chester was bathing the other woman when the woman jumped and yelled that she’d been touched inappropriately, Frost said.

Frost said Chester was suspended from Glenellen, but he does not know if she has been fired.

A call to Glenellen about whether she is still employed there was not returned Thursday. Chester could not be reached.

Chester is free on bond and will appear again in court for a Dec. 7 preliminary hearing.