Shocking attack on nursing home patient by caretaker

A nursing supervisor at Ponce Care Center in St Augustine called the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office to report a shocking incident that occurred at about 2:30 this morning; involving an female nursing home patient and one of her male nursing assistants.

A co-worker, in the hallway outside the 81-year-old nursing home patient’s room, heard the victim shout out from her bed. When they opened the door, the co-worker observed 53 year-old Martin Robinson Aniello, who lives at 49 Spring Street in St Augustine, holding a pillow over the face of the victim.

When spotted, Aniello threw the pillow to the headboard, according to the incident report. The co-worker, who witnessed the event, took over the care of the patient.

When deputies arrived to question Aniello about what had occurred, he invoked his 5th Amendment rights against self-incrimination and refused to answer.

Aniello was arrested at the conclusion of the investigation at the scene; charged with elderly abuse. Following his first appearance hearing this morning, he remains in custody at the St Johns County Detention Facility in lieu of $5,000 bond.