Probable cause: Wildwood Senior Living employee assaulted 77-year-old, broke his hip

Felony assault in the second degree (special victim) charges have been filed against an employee of Wildwood Senior Living following an investigation by the Missouri Attorney General's office.

According to the probable cause statement, Takeshia Moore, 45, Joplin, a Level I medication aide, abused a 77-year-old resident who was in Wildwood's memory care unit to a diagnosis of dementia by shoving him, causing him to fall and suffer hip and femur fractures. After that, the resident's health rapidly deteriorated and he died January 21.

A staff member reported the abuse to the Department of Health and Human Services that day. 

From the probable cause statement:

Moore was recording memory care patient weights in the Wildwood dining room when she walked away from the table, leaving her ink pen and paper on the table. picked up Moore’s pen and was holding it. 

Moore approached wanting her pen back and aggressively removed the pen from (the man's) grasp, but the pen cap remained in (his) hand. He threw the pen cap at Moore in response to her grabbing the pen. rose from his seat and ambulated toward Moore, who was still standing, and hit her elbow. 

Moore ignored de-escalation training and procedure and used an excess of force and both of her arms to shove (the man) who fell to the ground. (He) sustained a left side hip and femur fractures which required surgery. 

Following surgery, (the man's) health declined and he died on January 21, 2023. 

A staff member at Wildwood called DHSS on October 1, 2022, to report staff-to-resident abuse. The reporter informed DHSS that the incident resulted in (the) resident being sent to the emergency room (ER) for hip pain assessment. 

The ER assessment revealed a left hip and femur fracture. Wildwood reviewed their surveillance footage and discovered that (the man) had been pushed by Moore. DHSS visited Wildwood on October 2, 2022 following the incident and advised memory care director, Ally Arguello to file a police report. Arguello filed a police report with the Joplin Police Department. The Joplin Police Department obtained the information, created the report, and saved the surveillance footage of the incident. 

After completing their investigation, DHSS referred the incident to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) on November 7, 2022 to pursue criminal charges. MFCU obtained the Wildwood surveillance footage of the incident, the Joplin Police report, and two witness statements from staff members who saw the exchange. MFCU also obtained and analyzed Moore's employment records, (the man's) health and resident records, and DHSS's investigative file. Based on the review of all documents, Moore's conduct violated the law.

Jasper County Circuit Court records indicate that at the time the incident occurred at Wildwood Senior Living, Moore was awaiting trial on a driving while intoxicated charge following a traffic stop by the Missouri State Highway Patrol July 8, 2022 on westbound MO 66 at Tri-State Road in Joplin.

According to the probable cause statement, Moore told the trooper she had been drinking and using marijuana. 

In addition to the DWI, Moore was cited for speeding, failing to place a vehicle not in motion as far to the right as practicable, failing to drive in the right lane and possession of marijuana.

Moore's trial on the DWI charge is scheduled for March 8 in Jasper County Circuit Court.