"The caregiver who said 'The patient hurt themselves' speaks after watching the indiscriminate assault CCTV"

Caregiver Habitually Abuses 60s Encephalitis Patient
Discovered After Being Moved to CCTV-Monitored Hospital Room

A caregiver's habitual abuse of a patient in their 60s who was conscious but unable to move has sparked public outrage. This incident came to light after the patient contracted COVID-19 and was transferred to a hospital room equipped with a closed-circuit television (CCTV).

On the 16th, SBS reported that CCTV footage captured a caregiver assaulting a 60-year-old encephalitis patient, Mr. A, in a single room at a university hospital in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, last month. The video showed caregiver Mr. B grabbing and shaking the patient's hair and forcibly feeding him.

A case of a caregiver repeatedly abusing a patient in their 60s who is conscious but unable to move their body has come to light, sparking public outrage. This fact was revealed after the patient contracted COVID-19 and was transferred to a hospital room equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV).
[Photo by SBS News]

Mr. B’s crimes were revealed after Mr. A tested positive for COVID-19 and was moved to a single room with CCTV. Unaware of the CCTV’s presence, Mr. B assaulted Mr. A, and medical staff, suspicious of the patient’s condition, reviewed the footage and confirmed the abuse.

Mr. B repeatedly pulled out clumps of the patient’s hair and slapped his face with his hands, and also struck his forehead and lips with a wooden rehabilitation stick. The patient’s family explained, "The caregiver always grabbed the patient’s hair as if it was routine and forced him to stand up," adding, "There are three large patches where hair is missing." They said, "My mother endured pain alone for a long time, and I feel deeply guilty for realizing this so late."

Initially unaware of the CCTV, Mr. B claimed, "The patient injured himself while moving on his own." After viewing the footage during the police investigation, he admitted, "I got frustrated while caring for a patient who couldn’t control his body and assaulted him." The Gwangjin Police Station in Seoul has booked the caregiver on charges of elder abuse and injury and is investigating whether there are other offenses.