Cape Girardeau woman charged with elder abuse

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been corrected to reflect the accused is a nurse's aid, not a licensed practical nurse.

A Cape Girardeau woman has been charged with elder abuse after authorities say she backhanded a 98-year-old resident at the nursing home where she worked.

Sherri L. Sprenger, who was dismissed from the Lutheran Home after the allegations were made Aug. 22, faces a charge of third-degree elderly abuse, a misdemeanor that carries a punishment of up to one year in jail and as much as a $1,000 fine. Sprenger had been employed there as a certified nurse's aid to provide bedside care.

Court records don't list Sprenger's age but do cite a birth year of 1990.

Sprenger is accused of slapping a 98-year-old resident in the face. Police responded to the Lutheran Home last month for a report of a resident who had bruising on her face, according to a probable-cause statement. During interviews with staff members at the nursing home, police were told that the victim had said she was slapped by a worker there.

Police identified Sprenger as a suspect and interviewed her later, when the statement says she admitted hitting the woman. Sprenger told police she slapped the victim across the right side of the face with the back of her right hand. Sprenger told police she did so because she had lost her temper after the victim yelled at her, the statement said.

Sprenger said she told police she did not mean to hit the victim with such force and "did not expect her to bruise as badly as she had," according to the statement. She also expressed remorse to police about the incident.

Attempts to reach Sprenger were unsuccessful Wednesday, but her boyfriend told the Southeast Missourian that Sprenger was attempting to hire a lawyer and that it probably wasn't a good idea to speak to the media at this point.

Sprenger has been issued a summons to appear in court for an arraignment before Judge Gary Kamp at 1 p.m. Sept. 24 in Jackson.

The charges were filed in the county prosecuting attorney's office Wednesday, a day after the Cape Girardeau Police Department submitted information on the case.

After the report surfaced at the Lutheran Home, administrator Gerry Russell said in a prepared statement that the employee was not allowed to return to work and is no longer employed there. On Wednesday, Russell said he had no further comment. The Lutheran Home, situated on 42 acres at 2825 Bloomfield Road, houses about 275 residents. The not-for-profit, Christian-based facility first opened in 1972.

The allegations were also reported to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services elder-abuse hotline, as is required by state law. The number of elder abuse cases reported is increasing each year, according to the department. Initial reports of elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation have risen from 12,177 in 2006 to 17,718 in 2010.

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

2825 Bloomfield Road, Cape Girardeau, MO