Bayville Nursing Director Assaulted Patient, Tried To Cover It Up: AG

BERKELEY, NJ — The nursing director of a Bayville rehabilitation facility is accused of assaulting one of the facility's residents with a broom and then lying about it in an attempt to cover it up, the New Jersey Attorney General's Office said.

Patricia Lindo-Ahono, 59, was indicted by a state grand jury on July 23, 2025 on two counts of aggravated assault, neglect of an elderly or disabled adult, tampering with witnesses, assault on an institutionalized elderly person and falsifying records, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP) said. She was arrested July 24, 2025 and arraigned on Oct. 6.

“Residents of adult care facilities need to be treated with respect and dignity, and be safe,” Platkin said. “Physically assaulting a resident is inexcusable, and we will not stand by and allow such conduct to go undetected.”

According to court documents, a physical altercation occurred between Lindo-Ahono and a resident of Crystal Lake Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center on June 24, 2023. A nurse recorded a video of the incident, which took place in a hallway on the facility's fifth floor, officials said.

The video apparently shows Lindo-Ahono hitting the patient with a broom, and his left hand dripping blood, officials said.

Lindo-Ahono allegedly says, “Call (staff member) (inaudible) before I kill this man.”

She later completed an incident report claiming that the altercation happened four days earlier on June 20, 2023 at 12:30 p.m., officials said. In that report, Lindo-Ahono claimed that the victim attempted to scratch her using the head of a blue disposable razor. Lindo-Ahono also said that she used the broom to swat the object away.

However, the video does not show the victim holding a razor or any weapon in either hand, and staff members who were present at the time of the incident said that they never saw a weapon in the victim’s hand, according to authorities.

Lindo-Ahono also allegedly claimed that police and emergency services were called and that the victim was transported by ambulance to the hospital for evaluation. Current and former staff members confirmed that Lindo-Ahono allegedly said not to call the police and that the situation had been handled. Lindo-Ahono also wrote in the incident report that she notified the Department of Health (DOH), the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO), the Office of Public Guardian (OPG), and the physician. The LTCO, OPG, and DOH confirmed that they were not notified.

The video was released to the public and an investigation was launched.

On Dec. 21, 2024, as BTPD officers were speaking with the on-duty supervisor about the incident, Lindo-Ahono allegedly called the supervisor in response to a message about the officers’ presence. The on-duty supervisor answered the call, and when Lindo-Ahono asked if she was on speakerphone, the supervisor said no, according to officials. Officers then heard Lindo-Ahono say, “You don’t remember anything, right?”

“The allegations in this indictment are extremely troubling,” said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. “Not only is the defendant charged with a violent physical assault, but she also allegedly took steps to hide her actions. This cannot be allowed, and we are prosecuting this case accordingly.”

“When information about this incident came to light, our office immediately began investigating,” said Interim Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Al Garcia. “Resident safety is a top priority, and we have zero tolerance for anyone who would jeopardize the well-being of individuals living in a rehabilitation facility.”