Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 01/14/2009

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Terry Menshek (707) 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

HOME CARE WORKER SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS
AND EIGHT MONTHS FOR ELDER NEGLECT

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced that on December 30th, 2008, Corey Lynne Gonzales, a resident of Santa Rosa, was sentenced to three years and eight months in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

District Attorney Passalacqua said “Hopefully this case will send a strong message to those who commit elder abuse that they will be held accountable.”

On October 10, 2008, Petaluma Police Officers were dispatched to a senior-living apartment complex regarding a report of a resident calling for help from inside of her apartment. The first officer on scene found the sixty-seven year old victim sitting on her couch in need of immediate medical attention. The victim had previously suffered a stroke and is paralyzed on the left side of her body. She reported that her caregiver, Gonzales, left her without access to her motorized wheelchair and she was therefore unable to move from the couch. Because of the extreme neglect, the victim sustained extremely inflamed open sores throughout her body.

Gonzales, age 44, was employed to take care of the victim. However, the victim had not been bathed for six days, and was treated at the hospital for her psoriasis that had become infected.

The sentence also addressed an unrelated case where Gonzales was arrested by Santa Rosa Police for driving a stolen car, which had been stolen earlier the same morning.

Deputy District Attorney Jason Riehl was the prosecutor assigned to the case.