Charges dismissed against one woman accused of elder abuse at SC nursing home
EDITOR’S NOTE: The abuse of a vulnerable adult charges against Stephanie Ann Lowden were dismissed by the solicitor’s office on July 16, 2020, court records show. The case against Diana Rochelle Garrett is pending, according to Greenville County court records.
Original story
A man was suspicious his 89-year-old mother was being mistreated at a South Carolina nursing home where she lived after finding she suffered a number of injuries, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said.
Afraid his mother was being abused by employees, he hid a camera in her room at Rolling Green Village Memory Care Assisted Living in Greenville, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
After looking at the footage, his worst fears were realized. Two staff members, Diana Rochelle Garrett and Stephanie Ann Lowden abused his mother, according to the news release.
Garrett, 37, and Lowden, 50, are facing abuse of a vulnerable adult charges, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office started investigating the abuse May 22, after deputies were called to Greenville Memorial Hospital because of injuries the 89-year-old suffered.
Investigators then learned about video the son had taken, which showed “Garrett and Lowden using physical force and psychological abuse” on the woman stemming from an incident when she did not want to take a shower, according to the news release.
Lowden injured the woman when she forced her to take a shower, and caused her “fear, agitation and confusion,” according to an arrest warrant.
She is being held at Greenville County Detention Center and no bond has been set, jail records show.
Garrett has not yet been taken into custody, according to the news release.
The sheriff’s office said they “believe this to be an isolated incident and have not learned of any additional residents experiencing similar” abuse.
Both Lowden and Garrett were described as “former staff members” of the assisted living center in the news release. Rolling Green Village Memory Care Assisted Living could not immediately be reached by The State for a comment.
This story was originally published June 17, 2019 at 5:03 PM.
