Charges added against caregiver in beating of mentally disabled man
A caregiver who allegedly beat a mentally disabled man with a broom was held for court and is facing new charges after her preliminary hearing Tuesday.
Yvette Symantha Ned, 59, of Uniontown was employed by Fayette Resources when she allegedly beat William Tate at a supervised house on Summit Drive in North Union Township May 3.
Police allege she beat Tate with a broom handle, causing a laceration to his head that required seven stitches to close, in addition to severe bruising to his chest and nose.
Stanley Cramer, a second Fayette Resources caregiver at the house, testified that Ned was upset when she learned Tate had been acting inappropriately and ordered him to his room, which is the way they typically handle misbehavior.
He said he heard three loud “smacks” from the bedroom. Each time, he said Ned reported she was hitting the wall, not Tate. When she returned downstairs, Cramer said “I heard William scream like he’s never screamed before.” He turned to go to his aid, but Ned yelled in his face saying “We baby him to much,” according to Cramer’s testimony.
“He was crying. He was screaming really loud. Blood [was] squirting out of his head and there was blood all over the room,” Cramer testified.
He said Ned observed the scene and shouted, “Oh my God, Bill. Why did you hit your head off of the wall?”
State police trooper Brandon Clark testified the broom was bent at a 45-degree angle. He described the material as “very hard plastic.”
“It would take some force to bend something like that,” he said.
Cramer testified that he has heard Ned repeatedly say she hates Tate.
Tate, who is non-verbal, communicated to police through “yes” and “no” questions that he did not hit his head off the wall, and Ned caused his injuries.
Magisterial District Judge Jennifer Jeffries held all of Ned’s charges for the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas. She also approved a request from Assistant District Attorney James Geibig to add a count of aggravated assault and criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault.
Ned is now facing two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
She was released from jail after a $20,000 bond was posted on her behalf May 12.