Plainfield Woman Admits Abusing Elderly Woman With Alzheimer’s: AG

PLAINFIELD, NJ — A home health aide, formerly of Plainfield, pleaded guilty Monday to abusing and neglecting an elderly woman with Alzheimer’s who was under her care, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced.

Her actions were caught on a hidden camera set up by the victim's family and the alleged crime became one of the cases that led the Attorney General’s Office to create the new Safe Care Cam program.

Carla Caraballo, 59, of Louisiana, formerly of Plainfield, pleaded guilty to a third-degree charge of neglect of an elderly or disabled person by a caretaker before Superior Court Judge Catherine I. Enright in Morris County.

She was immediately sentenced on the charge, which was contained in a May 11 indictment. Judge Enright sentenced Caraballo to one year of probation and ordered her to perform 10 hours of community service.

• See Related: Plainfield Woman Caught On Hidden Camera Abusing Elderly Woman With Alzheimer’s: AG

Caraballo permanently surrendered her certification as a certified homemaker-home health aide (CHHA) in New Jersey as part of the plea agreement.

Caraballo worked as a home health aide at a senior living community in Denville where the 91-year-old victim, who suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s, lived.

The victim’s family installed hidden cameras in her home to monitor her care and on July 6, 2016, Caraballo is seen not helping the victim as she tries to get out of bed.

Caraballo instead demands that the victim stay in bed and threatens to leave the elderly patient “on the floor all night” if she got up by herself and fell, according to Porrino.

The victim continues to try to get out of bed, falls and hits her head and body on either the floor or wall, suffering a head injury. Caraballo refuses to help the victim as she lies on the floor mere feet from her, Porrino said.

Caraballo then remains sitting in her chair with her legs up on the victim's wheelchair while she scrolls through her cell phone.

The victim allegedly remained on the floor for a prolonged period of time. Eventually Caraballo goes up to the elderly victim, wipes blood from her body, and says something to the effect that now the woman would remain in bed, Porrino said.

Caraballo eventually called the victim’s daughter and told her that the mother fell. The daughter then called for help and the victim was transported to a hospital. Caraballo falsely claimed to have been holding the victim’s hand when she fell, Porrino said.

Caraballo was arrested on July 9, 2016 by Denville Police.

(Image via Attorney General Office: Carla Caraballo, 59, of Louisiana, formerly of Plainfield)

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