Police: Nursing home workers duct-taped patient to chair

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Two Florida nursing home employees are charged with using duct tape to restrain and quiet a patient with dementia.

Boynton Beach police said in a news release Friday that 52-year-old Lashron Williams and 44-year-old Phygelle Brudent duct-taped a 67-year-old woman to a chair and used tape to cover her mouth. They were arrested Thursday and charged with elder abuse and false imprisonment.

Detectives say Brudent confessed to duct-taping the victim July 3, telling them the woman wouldn’t remain quiet.

Williams told police Brudent duct-taped the victim. She said she uncovered the patient’s mouth to give her sleeping pills. She said she told Brudent it was wrong to duct-tape patients, but did not report her.

Both were being held Friday at the Palm Beach County Jail on $3,000 bail.