Tossed to the floor, slapped to the mouth, inappropriately touched, dragged on the ground, these are just some instances of abuse shared with TV6 News by 83-year-old United States citizen Joan James, after Tobago police rescued her from an elderly home in Tobago.
In part one of our two part report TV6's Elizabeth Williams spoke to the traumatized elderly woman.
00:00Still traumatized by the actions of a caregiver at the God's Pleasure Day and Night Caregiving Service in Rocklevale, Tobago, 83-year-old U.S. citizen Joan James, as she spoke to us at her home in Signal Hill, before police visited and rescued her from what she has labeled a house of horror.
00:26She told TV6 News many nights she was left in her wet pampers.
00:56Ms. James said there were times when she was dragged repeatedly by the caregiver.
01:27The elderly woman said the caregiver forced her to be touched in the bathroom of the home by a male resident.
01:47She said the abuse escalated further with her being sexually violated.
01:56The former teacher in the U.S. and mental health worker said she called on Jesus many times to deliver her as she listened to the screams of other residents of the home at night.
02:15She said her head was banged repeatedly on a wall.
02:26The matter was reported to the U.S. Embassy whose officers tried to call Ms. James but said her phone was taken away from her and the Embassy's number along with other numbers blocked by caregivers at the home.
02:49She told TV6 she was even denied access to a special room where she was initially placed at a cost of $6,000.
02:59She told TV6 from the second day she was at the home she wanted to leave but was forced to stay.
03:06Her freedom from what seemed like a jail would come one year, two months and some days later when Tobago police officers arrived following an investigation.
03:17Today she told us she remains thankful to woman acting corporal Asha Philip Kennedy for saving her life.
03:25In part two of our report we share with you the elderly's home response.
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