A Salt Lake woman was charged with a second-degree felony Friday for the alleged abuse of an elderly woman for whom she was hired to provide care.
Barbara E. Folsom, 45, was charged with aggravated abuse of a disabled or elder adult by Salt Lake County District Attorney Neal Gunnarson's office.A tape recording made by victim Wita Jensen's family on Sept. 4 reveals slapping sounds and a woman calling Jensen a "fat cow," "damn retard," "lazy," and "dumb." The family hid the voice-activated recorder in Jensen's room after she complained of abuse by Folsom, according to court charging documents.
After listening to the recording, the Sandy family called the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office.
The family hired Folsom to care for Jensen, 80, who suffers from arthritis and other age-related disorders.
Deputies investigating the incident reported the victim, who suffered some bruising, told them Folsom "was mean to her." Folsom bent her fingers back to hurt her, she reported to deputies, and slapped and pulled her hair while she was in the shower.
Jensen also told deputies that Folsom kicked her in the ankle and made her crawl back to her bed from the bathroom.
Folsom admitted to deputies she called Jensen a "fat cow," according to charging documents, but said she did it to motivate the victim. She denied hitting Jensen, according to the charges, but told prosecutors she was suffering from sleep deprivation the day the incident occurred.
A doctor examined Jensen Sept. 5 and told prosecutors that of the bruises on Jensen's body, at least one was consistent with being struck by a human hand, according to court documents.
Investigators reported that since news coverage of the incident, they have had two other calls from persons who hired Folsom as a caregiver. Detectives said Folsom is not a state licensed home-care provider.
Attempts to contact Folsom Friday by telephone were unsuccessful. The sheriff's office said it planned to take Folsom into custody Friday afternoon.