Burr Ridge Nursing Home Worker Punched 79-Year-Old: Police

BURR RIDGE, IL — A woman who lost her job at a Burr Ridge nursing home is still facing felony charges in connection with the abuse of one of the home's residents, according to government records.

Last week, Burr Ridge Patch obtained the police report on Devette Cobbs, 55, of Lisle, who was charged with two counts of aggravated battery.

Burr Ridge police said they blacked out the witness statements from the report because disclosure may deprive Cobbs of a fair hearing in court. Information from Cobbs' interview was also redacted.

According to the report, Cobbs, a certified nursing assistant, is accused of punching a 79-year-old man in the stomach and slapping him on his upper thigh. The incident was July 24, police said.

At the time, she was working at Brookdale Burr Ridge, 6801 High Grove Blvd. Last week, it became Dimensions Living Burr Ridge.

Two members of Brookdale's housekeeping staff notified the resident care coordinator that they saw Cobbs strike the 79-year-old man, which prompted the call to police, the report said.

Police contacted the man's daughter, who holds power of attorney over her father. After being told what happened, she said she wanted to sign complaints against Cobbs, police said.

Brookdale immediately suspended Cobbs and told police she would be fired, according to the police report.

Hearings in the case have been delayed a couple of times on the agreement of both sides. No trial date has been set.

Cobbs and her attorney did not return immediate messages for comment Monday. The administrator of the nursing home also could not be reached.