Nursing Director Assaulted Elderly Resident & Attempted Cover-Up at Rehab Center

Incident caught on video leads to multiple criminal charges and alleged attempt to conceal the assault

Patricia Lindo-Ahono, 59, the director of nursing at Crystal Lake Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Bayville, Ocean County, has been indicted and arraigned on multiple criminal charges related to the alleged assault of an elderly resident and subsequent efforts to cover up the incident, state officials announced this week.

“The allegations in this indictment are extremely troubling,” said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. “Not only is the defendant charged with a violent physical assault, but she also allegedly took steps to hide her actions. This cannot be allowed, and we are prosecuting this case accordingly.”

The charges, issued by a state grand jury on July 23, 2025, include second- and third-degree aggravated assault, neglect of an elderly or disabled adult, tampering with witnesses, assault on an institutionalized elderly person, and falsifying records. Lindo-Ahono was arrested on July 24 and arraigned on October 6.

According to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP), the incident occurred on June 24, 2023. A nurse reportedly recorded the confrontation on the facility’s fifth floor, showing Lindo-Ahono striking a male resident—identified in court documents as E.N.J.—with a broom. The footage allegedly shows the resident’s hand bleeding and captures Lindo-Ahono saying, “Call (staff member) (inaudible) before I kill this man.”

Following the altercation, Lindo-Ahono submitted an incident report claiming the event occurred four days earlier, on June 20. She alleged that the resident tried to scratch her with a blue disposable razor, prompting her to use a broom to swat it away. However, video evidence and witness accounts contradict that version. The footage reportedly does not show the resident holding any object, and multiple staff members confirmed they did not observe a weapon.

Further investigation revealed discrepancies in the report, including a claim that emergency services were called and that the resident was transported to the hospital—actions that were reportedly never taken. Additionally, several regulatory and oversight bodies, including the Department of Health, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, and the Office of Public Guardian, confirmed they were never notified of the incident, despite claims made in Lindo-Ahono’s documentation.

The case came under scrutiny after the video was made public. The Berkeley Township Police Department and the OIFP’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) launched a joint investigation. During that probe, Lindo-Ahono allegedly contacted a supervisor at the facility and was overheard by officers saying, “You don’t remember anything, right?”—a statement prosecutors allege was intended to influence the supervisor’s account of the incident.

The investigation was led by Detectives Alyssa Singh and Daniel Creighton, under the supervision of Sergeant Justin Callahan, Lieutenant Joseph Jaruszewski, and Deputy Chief Rich King. Deputy Attorney General Camille McKnight is prosecuting the case under the direction of Assistant Bureau Chief Michael Klein and Bureau Chief Heather Hadley.

Lindo-Ahono remains innocent unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, she could face significant prison time: second-degree charges carry penalties of five to ten years in prison and fines up to $150,000; third-degree charges could result in three to five years and fines up to $15,000; and fourth-degree charges carry up to 18 months in prison and fines up to $10,000.

“Residents of adult care facilities need to be treated with respect and dignity, and be safe,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Physically assaulting a resident is inexcusable, and we will not stand by and allow such conduct to go undetected.”

The case has drawn attention to the oversight of long-term care facilities in New Jersey and the role of the state’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which receives 75% of its $12.63 million annual funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Residents who suspect Medicaid fraud or elder abuse in New Jersey are encouraged to report it through the state's reporting form, by calling (609) 292-1272, or via email at NJMFCU@njdcj.org.