Bayville Nursing Director Admits Hitting Patient With Broom

BERKELEY, NJ — A nursing director of a Bayville rehab center admitted to assaulting a patient with a broom and then lying about it in an attempt to cover the attack up, Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP) said.

Patricia Lindo-Ahono, 60, of Irvington, pleaded guilty to third-degree tampering with witnesses and fourth-degree assault upon an institutionalized elderly person. As part of the plea, she will permanently forfeit her nursing license. The state will recommend three years of non-custodial probation, conditioned upon court-ordered anger management classes and 50 hours of community service. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 30, 2026.

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"Residents of our care facilities deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. The defendant abdicated her responsibilities, assaulted a resident, and then attempted to cover it up," Davenport said. "Residents deserve better, and our office will always stand up for and protect the most vulnerable members of our community."

According to court documents, a physical altercation occurred between Lindo-Ahono and a resident of Crystal Lake Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center on June 24, 2023. A nurse recorded a video of the incident, which took place in a hallway on the facility's fifth floor, officials said.

The video apparently shows Lindo-Ahono hitting the patient with a broom, and his left hand dripping blood, officials said.

Lindo-Ahono allegedly says, "Call (staff member) (inaudible) before I kill this man."

She later completed an incident report claiming that the altercation happened four days earlier on June 20, 2023 at 12:30 p.m., officials said. In that report, Lindo-Ahono claimed that the victim attempted to scratch her using the head of a blue disposable razor. Lindo-Ahono also said that she used the broom to swat the object away.

However, the video does not show the victim holding a razor or any weapon in either hand, and staff members who were present at the time of the incident said that they never saw a weapon in the victim's hand, according to authorities.

Lindo-Ahono also allegedly claimed that police and emergency services were called and that the victim was transported by ambulance to the hospital for evaluation. Current and former staff members confirmed that Lindo-Ahono allegedly said not to call the police and that the situation had been handled. Lindo-Ahono also wrote in the incident report that she notified the Department of Health (DOH), the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO), the Office of Public Guardian (OPG), and the physician. The LTCO, OPG, and DOH confirmed that they were not notified.

The video was released to the public and an investigation was launched.

On Dec. 21, 2024, as BTPD officers were speaking with the on-duty supervisor about the incident, Lindo-Ahono allegedly called the supervisor in response to a message about the officers' presence. The on-duty supervisor answered the call, and when Lindo-Ahono asked if she was on speakerphone, the supervisor said no, according to officials. Officers then heard Lindo-Ahono say, "You don't remember anything, right?"

"Those entrusted with the care of vulnerable residents have a responsibility to protect them," said Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Bernard J. Cooney. "We remain committed to ensuring that abuse of those in our care facilities and efforts to conceal that abuse do not go unchecked."