Berkeley Police: Home Health Aide Left Hospice Patient Alone While Food Smoldered On Stove

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ -Berkeley Township police recently arrested a home health aide in Holiday City after she left a non-ambulatory hospice patient alone for more than an hour while food smoldered on a stove and filled the home with smoke, Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele said.

Levani Kavtaradze, 37, North Barbados Drive, was charged with endangering an elderly person in connection with the Aug. 25 incident, the chief said.

Lt. James Smith, Sgt. Joseph Robertazzi and Patrolman John Houghkirk responded to a North Barbados Drive home at 2:03 p.m. on a report of a fire and found heavy smoke and burning food on the stove. The pot and its contents had melted and caught on fire, DiMichele said.

Members of the Manitou Park Fire Department responded to the scene and ventilated the residence. The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office's Arson Unit also assisted.

Authorities determined that the hospice home health aide had left the patient alone for over a hour without authorization.

"Prior to leaving, the aide put a pot of food on the stove and turned it on," the chief said.

The hospice patient was treated for smoke inhalation and was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River for more treatment. Kavtaradze was transported to police headquarters for processing and was released on a summons pending a future court date, DiMichele said.

Photo: Patch file photo