A 39-year-old man has been arrested and charged with rape after surveillance cameras caught him in the bedroom of a 61-year-old Alzheimer’s patient at The Palms La Mirada Senior Living Facility, according to officials and the victim’s family.
The family is currently suing the senior living home.
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Caregivers raced to check on the woman after seeing unsettling footage of a man removing his clothing inside her apartment. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrested Jonathan Michael Alvarado, who detectives believe met the victim while working as a volunteer musician contracted to perform for the residents.
Camyl Anderson, the woman’s daughter, uncovered the crime while monitoring her mother’s well-being via cameras set in the flat. Anderson’s mother has lived at the institution for several years after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 55. I was at work when it happened. “I got more notifications than usual,” Anderson said.
Anderson reviewed the video footage in June of last year and was shocked by what she discovered. I was able to return to my office and view the footage. “I just saw a man sitting on her bed, bending over and tying his shoes, and then he walked out, leaving her naked on her bed,” she stated.
She quickly called caregivers to check on her mother and then notified police. “I really couldn’t believe it. And then I became enraged, screamed, and cried,” Anderson explained.
According to the family’s attorney, Dominique Westmoreland, the facility lacks enough security. “It’s a violation of those who are most vulnerable in our society, especially since her mother was diagnosed with dementia,” Westmoreland stated.
In a statement, The Palms La Mirada stated, “Our residents’ safety and well-being are our primary priority. We are deeply concerned by these allegations and will fully cooperate with any criminal inquiry.”
Alvarado faces one felony charge of rape and one felony offense of elder abuse. The investigation is underway.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department urges anyone with information about this case, or who believes they have been abused by Alvarado, to come forward immediately. Individuals are asked to call the Special Victims Bureau and inquire for Sergeant Joe Ramos at (562) 946-7960.
