On Wednesday evening, August 12th, the Sonora Police Department, California, arrested a woman on felony elder abuse charges. Jeryl D. Schwartz, 67, allegedly physically assaulted her 89-year-old relative at a shopping center in the city.
The police alleged that the woman punched her older female relative multiple times and even pulled her by the hair. The two were in a Save Mart located along W. Stockton Street. The investigators said that the victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Have you or a loved one been involved in an accident? Speak to a lawyer for a free no obligation consultation
Or call us at (888) 699-7975
The SPD remanded Schwartz into the Tuolumne County Jail on a $35,000 bail bond. The police did not release additional information due to the nature of the case.
Under the California Penal Code, 368 PC, elder abuse is a crime. The section applies to deliberate physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of anyone 65 years of age and above. Prosecutors charge the offense either as a misdemeanor or a felony, and it carries up to 4 years in jail.
Common examples of elder abuse are not feeding an older person who cannot take care of his or her needs, a caretaker ridiculing an older patient who uses a wheelchair, or using fraud to become the sole financial beneficiary of an older citizen.
To prove a financial crime, the prosecutor must show that the defendant committed a financial crime, that the victim is 65-year-old and above, and the defendant was a caretaker of the victim, with knowledge that the person was elderly. The three common defenses associated with the offense are no willful act and abuse, and falsely accused.
Disclaimer: The Safety Watch article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.
The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Safety Watch’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.