CO- Nursing Home Caretaker Accused Of Beating Stroke Patient

12-16-2008 Colorado:

Ashley Manor Fires Kalen Randolph

AURORA, Colo. -- A nursing home worker is in jail, accused of nearly beating to death an elderly patient in his care.

Aurora Police said Kalen Randolph, 23, assaulted a 74-year-old stroke victim at Ashley Manor in the early morning on Aug. 22.

"He struck him repeatedly. Turns out, he had serious bodily injury, according to one doctor. (Randolph) also then fled the scene leaving eight of these elderly patients at the home without supervision," said Aurora Police spokesman Detective Bob Friel.

The victim is recovering from injuries to the head, ear and hand. Police said communicating with the victim has been difficult because he's a stroke patient and even before this incident he could only say three words: "No," "Right" and "Dammit."

A spokesman for Ashley Manor said nothing in Randolph's background suggested a propensity for this type of behavior.

"We are shocked and saddened by the events that are alleged to have taken place," the center said in a statement.

Because of a 911 hangup call, police responded quickly to the attack at 3:40 a.m., but Randolph was not in the area.

"We know that he ended up meeting with a girlfriend and having sex in her car. And that's what he was doing at the time when these elderly patients were left in the home," said Friel.

Randolph, a certified nurse's assistant, is charged with eight counts of neglect and one count of second-degree assault.

Ashley Manor has fired him and will ask the state to revoke his license.

Ashley Manor is a small facility for Alzheimer's and brain injury patients. It has only nine patients. ..News Source.. by Russell Haythorn, 7NEWS Reporter