Elderly Man Pushed Downstairs.-Abusers Broke His Back and his Bank Accounts

Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - A 45-year-old woman is accused of assaulting an elderly man she befriended, and using his credit cards to make many purchases he never asked for. Police say it’s one of the worse cases of elder abuse they’ve seen in some time.

Michele Thomas of Syracuse has been charged with attempted robbery, grand larceny, and two counts of assault. She was arrested Monday.

Police say the 85-year-old victim had a romantic relationship with Thomas.

He invited her, and her two children, to live with him and take care of him between January and July of this year.

She became his caregiver, allegedly beat him, broke his nose several times, and got access to his bank account by forcibly getting his pin number

In once instance police say the victim said he would not give Thomas his belongings and it’s alleged she beat him.

She also allegedly tore up his phone book with family and personal numbers and installed a caller id, so she could screen out calls from family.

The victim also suffered a broken back, which he claims he got after Thomas pushed him down the stairs.

After the back injury, nurses stared coming in the home and he told them about the abuse.

Police says nurses found family phone numbers and called the victim's son in Georgia, who came up and took him back down south to live with him. He was hospitalized in Georgia.