A nurse in Georgia is facing serious and confusing charges after allegedly stealing jewelry from a dementia patient by using hand sanitizer to remove rings from her finger.
This is sickening.
At a glance:
- A Georgia nurse, Stephanie Phillips-Siwiec, 54, faces multiple charges, including robbery and aggravated battery, for allegedly stealing jewelry from hospital patients.
- Phillips-Siwiec reportedly used hand sanitizer to forcefully remove rings from an 87-year-old dementia patient, dislocating her finger in the process.
- Phillips-Siwiec is being held on $140,000 bail and is prohibited from working as a nurse pending her court appearance in November.
Stephanie Phillips-Siwiec, a 54-year-old nurse from Georgia, has been charged with multiple crimes, including abuse, neglect or exploitation of the elderly, robbery, and aggravated battery, after allegedly stealing valuables from hospital patients under her care. One particularly disturbing incident involved using hand sanitizer to forcibly remove rings from an elderly dementia patient.
The theft took place while Phillips-Siwiec was working the overnight shift at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, located just north of Atlanta. According to authorities, she removed four rings from the fingers of Patricia Gaskins, an 87-year-old patient who was brought to the hospital after a fall. The theft occurred between 1 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., during which time Gaskins’ daughter had sent her mother for medical care. At around 2 a.m., an X-ray confirmed Gaskins was still wearing the rings, but by the time she returned to her retirement home, the rings were missing.
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The rings included a yellow gold wedding band, a tennis racket-shaped yellow gold ring, and a gold wedding set with two white gold bands and a diamond, valued at around $5,800. Gaskins later realized the rings had been stolen and that her finger had been dislocated and a bone cracked from the force used to remove the jewelry.
Phillips-Siwiec admitted to using hand sanitizer to pull off the rings, according to reports. Carolina Ortloff, Gaskins’ daughter, was devastated when she learned of the incident. “You lose faith in humanity at that moment, that this happened in a place where someone is supposed to be cared for,” Ortloff said.
In addition to this case, Phillips-Siwiec is also accused of stealing an 18-karat gold bracelet worth $1,000 from a 95-year-old patient at the same hospital. The bracelet disappeared after the patient was transported to the hospital by ambulance, but before she was transferred to her room.
Wellstar Health System has placed Phillips-Siwiec on administrative leave pending further investigation. The hospital expressed regret for the incidents, stating, “These allegations, if true, go against everything we stand for as caregivers. Every person should feel safe and comfortable when they receive care.”
During her court appearance, Phillips-Siwiec appeared distressed as the judge outlined the charges. She was heard muttering, “Oh my god,” as the details of the case were described. She remains in custody with a bail set at $140,000, and has been instructed not to work as a nurse or have contact with anyone over the age of 75. Her next court appearance is scheduled for November.
What is wrong with people?