The father of the 20-year-old man who allegedly beat an elderly man in a Michigan nursing home last week, which went viral this week after video of the alleged incident was viewed millions of times on social media, says that his son was not supposed to be at the nursing home, but was taken there because he tested positive for the coronavirus. Police are now also reportedly investigating whether the suspect beat an elderly woman.
The father told FOX 2 Detroit that his son has “mental issues” and that he was at a group home last week where he was having health related issues. The father also said that his son is involved in a pending case where he is accused of attacking a staff member at a group home.
WSAV News 3 reported:
[The father] says the suspect was originally at a group home through Washtenaw County Mental Health Services, but was moved to a hospital when he started hearing voices. He says his son was then recently moved to the Westwood Nursing Center after being diagnosed with COVID-19. …The suspect’s father says because his son was diagnosed with COVID-19, he was brought to the nursing home to quarantine and recover.
“He never should’ve been housed, quarantined with the victim that he eventually assaulted,” the father said. “That should have never happened.”
WXYZ Detroit reported:
It appears the suspect also posted another video showing the beating of a woman who is confined to a bed. Detroit police say they are aware of that second video and are also investigating that assault.
The suspect was arrested shortly after the video went viral.
Detroit Police Chief James Craig said at a press conference, “The nursing home was unaware of the assault until they saw the video. We are still investigating that aspect of the case, but we do have a suspect in custody.”
Various local publications that reported on the attack did not know why the suspect was transferred to the nursing home, and the father said that if he had known his son was being sent there, he “would’ve never have consented to it.”
While Michigan Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer has not made any direct remarks about the incident, her press secretary, Tiffany Brown, told The Daily Wire: “One of Governor Whitmer’s main priorities is protecting the health and safety of all Michiganders, especially our most vulnerable populations. While the video data does not support the claim that this occurred at a State of Michigan facility, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is conducting an investigation.”
The response from Whitmer’s office came after President Donald Trump called attention to the attack this week, tweeting, “Is this even possible to believe? Can this be for real? Where is this nursing home, how is the victim doing?”
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