The shocking case of a nurse stealing jewelry from elderly patients
A Georgia nurse is being accused of stealing expensive jewelry — including wedding rings and a gold bracelet — from elderly hospital patients under her care.
Stephanie Phillips-Siwiec — a 54-year-old nurse at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center — is charged with three counts of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of the elderly, three counts of robbery, and aggravated battery, per Fulton County Jail records.
According to an affidavit from the Roswell Police Department, per local Fox affiliate WAGA and obtained by Law&Crime, the investigation began last week when a daughter of a 95-year-old patient reported that her mother’s 18-karat gold chain link bracelet — which was reportedly valued at $1,000 — was stolen from her wrist after she was transferred to a room at North Fulton Hospital on September 28.
The investigation, as cited in the police report, revealed details from an alleged case a month prior, in which Phillips-Siwiec allegedly took off rings from an elderly patient’s hand by using hand sanitizer.
In the report, per Law&Crime, Phillips-Siwiec removed four rings from the fingers of 87-year-old patient, Patricia Gaskins, who suffers from dementia, with the alleged incident leaving the woman with a dislocated finger.
Authorities responded to a theft call after the patient’s daughter, Carolina Ortloff, reportedly told police that she noticed her mother’s rings were missing. According to Ortloff, her mother was wearing her rings when she was hospitalized after she fell at her retirement home, with an X-ray showing the jewelry on her fingers. However, police said that the rings were gone when she returned to the retirement facility later that day.
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According to the affidavit, the rings were the patient’s and her late husband’s wedding rings, including a gold set with two white gold bands, with one ring having a diamond reportedly valued at $5,800.
The police report said that a doctor stated the victim’s dislocated finger was not from her fall at the retirement home but as a result of the rings being removed from her hand.
Phillips-Siwiec also allegedly admitted she used hand sanitizer to forcibly take off the patient’s rings, according to the affidavit, per WAGA.
“I can’t explain the feeling that came over me from horror, nausea, wanting to scream,” Ortloff recalled to the outlet. “You lose faith in humanity at that moment, that this happened in a place where someone is supposed to be cared for.”
Wellstar Health System issued a statement to WAGA and local ABC affiliate WSB, saying Phillips-Siwiec had been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.
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“These allegations, if true, go against everything we stand for as caregivers. Every person should feel safe and comfortable when they receive care,” the spokesperson said. “We are cooperating with the investigating authorities and will take further action as appropriate. We have apologized to the patient and her family.”
“We conduct thorough employee background checks and encourage our team members and patients to report their concerns, which they can do anonymously, to help ensure the highest levels of care and safety,” the spokesperson added.
Phillips-Siwiec was initially charged with three counts of theft by taking, two of which were felony charges, and was released on Sunday, before she rebooked with the new charges on Wednesday after police allegedly discovered two more victims, according to WSB.
According to jail records, the first alleged robbery took place on August 19.
Phillips-Siwiec bail was set at $140,000. She is scheduled to appear in court on November 1.
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Conclusion: As the case of Stephanie Phillips-Siwiec unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of elderly patients and the importance of vigilant care in healthcare settings. The alleged theft of jewelry from patients adds a disturbing layer to the already tragic situation. It is crucial for healthcare facilities to conduct thorough checks on employees and encourage reporting of concerns to ensure the safety and well-being of patients. This case highlights the need for ongoing oversight and measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
