Nurse Sentenced Following Abuse of Quadriplegic Patient

Robert “Buddy” Harkness was paralyzed by the effects of cerebral palsy and is dependent on his wheelchair. Buddy was also reliant on healthcare professionals to care for all his needs and he trusted them with everything from feeding and bathing to helping him get dressed. Due to his disability Buddy was particularly vulnerable and one of his personal caregivers named Tammy Labreque took advantage of that by subjecting him to repeated cruelty and abuse on a regular basis.

What is shocking is that Tammy Labrecque was one of Buddy's nurses for 15 years when Buddy finally built up the courage to confide to his conservator one day that he was being abused at the hands of Labrecque.

To catch his nurse in the act, they set up a sting operation that included hiding a nanny-cam in the room. On the very first day that the camera was in use, Labrecque's disgusting conduct of Buddy was captured on tape, where she was seen screaming, cursing, and threatening Buddy. She repeatedly slapped his arms and legs, forced his arms over his head, and threatened to break his fingers.

Labrecque was subsequently arrested and charged in Waterbury court with felony cruelty to a person. She was found guilty and recently sentenced to 5 years in prison including having her nursing license revoked.

A friend of Buddy read a victim impact statement to the court after the sentencing in which Buddy called this to be one of the happiest days of his life. 

The convicted Labrecque told the court that she was under mental and physical stress at the time and had no memory of the incident.

What needs to be recognized is that incidents of Labrecque’s behavior are not isolated events and many people with disabilities are subject to this type of cruel and abusive conduct by the very same people entrusted to provide them with care, respect and dignity.

While working with people with disabilities can be a stressful profession, where working conditions, low pay and difficult work can build up. These factors can never be deemed as an excuse or a mitigating consideration for these bullies that exercise cowardly acts against persons that cannot defend themselves against their atrocities.

The point of the matter is, that abusing someone who is unable to fend for themselves is an abhorrent deviant act that should be punished by the full extent of the law. Society needs to send a loud and clear message that this malicious behaviour and abhorrent conduct will not be tolerated in a civil society. If work stress and other factors are proving to be too much for a caregiver or a nurse then they should know better and seek out another profession before they snap and hurt the very person that is depending on them for care.

To help stop these incidents of abuse, it is imperative for people to keep close watch of their loved one under the care of a personal caregiver.

Common Red Flags of abuse include: 

• suspicious and frequent bruises or fractures, 
• occurrence of suspect injuries often explained by hard to believe accounts, 
• marked changes in victimized person's behaviour including sadness, withdrawal, loss of appetite or nervousness

The abuser's behaviour also offers tell-tale signs often characterized by nervous affect or show of overcompensating affection, attention or care of the person with a disability especially when others are present.  

It is very important for family members to also listen and act upon any reported incidents of abuse by their loved one being cared for by their personal caregivers. Remaining vigilante and aware of these signs and taking action such as reporting the abuse to the authorities before something serious happens is the key!