Daughter of elderly dementia patient 'sprayed in the face with a cleaning chemical by her carer' says her mother was left 'crying and very disturbed'

  • Daughter of elderly patient allegedly assaulted at aged care facility has spoken 
  • A carer, 48, allegedly abused five elderly patients over a period of three months 
  • Police allege the victims were two men and three women, aged between 74 - 87 
  • Woman charged with five counts of assault and is to appear in court in February 

By Brett Lackey and Sophie Tanno For Daily Mail Australia and Aap

Published: 05:47 EST, 3 January 2019 | Updated: 06:27 EST, 3 January 2019

The daughter of an elderly dementia patient who was allegedly sprayed in the face with a cleaning chemical has spoken about how the incident affected her mother. 

Jennifer Tease says her mother, Violet, was left 'crying and very disturbed' after the alleged incident in mid-December at the Warrigal aged care facility in Warilla, south of Wollongong. 

'It's hard to believe anybody would deliberately hurt a frail person,' Ms Tease told 9 News. 

Jennifer Tease (pictured) says her mother, Violet, was left 'crying and very disturbed' after the alleged incident in mid-December at the Warrigal aged care facility in Warilla, south of Wollongong 

Jennifer Tease (pictured) says her mother, Violet, was left 'crying and very disturbed' after the alleged incident in mid-December at the Warrigal aged care facility in Warilla, south of Wollongong 

'It's hard to believe anybody would deliberately hurt a frail person,' Ms Tease told 9 News (pictured is Violet) 

'It's hard to believe anybody would deliberately hurt a frail person,' Ms Tease told 9 News (pictured is Violet) 

Ms Tease also claims she previously had concerns about her mother's wellbeing after another relative found bruises  

Ms Tease also claims she previously had concerns about her mother's wellbeing after another relative found bruises  

Ms Tease claims she was not told about the alleged incident until three days after it happened. 

She also told the publication she previously had concerns about her mother's well-being after another relative found bruises on her face. 

A 48-year-old female carer allegedly assaulted three women and two men aged between 74 and 87 at the Warrigal aged care facility between October and December 2018. 

She was charged on Wednesday with five counts of assault before being released on conditional bail.

Detective Chief Inspector Glen Broadhead said the woman's alleged victims were all elderly, vulnerable and suffering from dementia.

'It's horrendous,' he told reporters south of Wollongong on Thursday.

'For an elderly person to be assaulted in a facility where they believe they're going to be cared for is unfathomable for the community.'

The victims' families were 'distraught' by the attacks, he added.

Police were notified after another staff member alerted the facility's managers.

Because the alleged victims suffer from dementia, the testimony of relatives and other employees at the facility will be important for the police case, Det Chief Insp Broadhead said.

'They're quite serious incidents. They all involve striking of the victims and one incident of spraying the victim.'

Detectives are still investigating and haven't ruled out laying further charges against the woman.

She was ordered to appear at Port Kembla Local Court on February 27. 

The 48-year-old woman is accused of assaulting five patients, with ages between 74 and 87, from October to December at Warrigal Warilla aged care facility (pictured) 

The 48-year-old woman is accused of assaulting five patients, with ages between 74 and 87, from October to December at Warrigal Warilla aged care facility (pictured) 

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Daughter of dementia patient 'sprayed in the face with a cleaning chemical by her carer' speaks

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