In Montgomery, Elder Abuse Unit To Target Crimes Committed Against The Elderly

County of Montgomery, Jun 05, 2008

District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman announces the creation of the District Attorney's Office Elder Abuse Unit to target crimes committed against the elderly. The establishment of the Elder Abuse Unit is an effort to aggressively respond to the increase in crimes against elders coming into the criminal justice system.

The Elder Abuse Unit will investigate and prosecute crimes which target and victimize the senior residents of Montgomery County including physical and sexual assaults, neglect, theft and financial exploitation. This Unit will provide training to police and prosecutors on the investigation and prosecution of these crimes, and will serve as a resource for educational outreach to senior citizens to provide advice and information about how they can avoid being victimized. The Unit will also provide training to the community-at-large about how to identify and report signs of abuse. The Elder Abuse Unit will work with agencies and community groups throughout the County and the Commonwealth to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who prey upon senior citizens.

Assistant District Attorney Bradford A. Richman is designated as the Captain of the Elder Abuse Unit. He will work with Montgomery County Detective Lt. Mark Bernstiel, who heads the County Detective Bureau Special Investigations Unit. The Elder Abuse Unit will operate within the Special Investigations Unit.

In conjunction with the creation of the Elder Abuse Unit, District Attorney Ferman also announces the establishment of the District Attorney’s Elder Abuse Task Force, to be chaired by Assistant D.A. Richman. The Task force is a multi-disciplinary committee of law enforcement agencies and the Montgomery County Aging and Adult Services. The creation of the task force marks the first time that all county agencies, which are charged with protecting our senior residents, will meet monthly to coordinate efforts, identify areas for training, and review individual cases of potential elder abuse.

The Elder Abuse Task Force will work with geriatric and forensic specialists, the Montgomery County Bar Association, victim advocacy groups, and others in the community to avail itself of all of the resources in the county.

In the first prosecution since the creation of the Elder Abuse Unit, the District Attorney and the Upper Merion Police Chief Ronald M. Fonock announce the arrest of Henrietta Sprual of Upper Darby. On December 7, 2007, Sprual was employed as a care worker at an assisted living facility. While an eighty-seven year old Alzheimer’s patient was in her care, Sprual is charged with striking him repeatedly with a belt. She is charged with Simple Assault, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Possession of an Instrument of Crime, Unsworn Falsification to Authorities and Harassment. A Preliminary Hearing was held this afternoon at 1:45 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge James Gallagher in Bridgeport. The defendant waived all charges.