Ohio Nursing Assistant Accused of Raping, Sexually Assaulting Dementia Patients

An Ohio nursing assistant is accused of filming herself raping and sexually abusing male dementia patients between the ages of 79-90 at an assisted living facility where she used to work.

Police arrested Tiara Lynn Ford, 23, of Canton, at her home Thursday afternoon for her alleged crimes at the Inn at University Village assisted living center in Massillon, the Canton Repository reported. She has been charged with rape – a first-degree felony- and two counts of gross sexual imposition – fourth-degree felonies, online inmate records show.

WEWS reported:

Ford was arrested at her home following a two-week investigation that revealed video recordings of her “sexually assaulting elderly residents of the facility,” police said. Authorities said they believe Ford used her personal phone to record the alleged assaults. Those videos were emailed to the facility in February by a person that police are not identifying. The facility immediately contacted police and “has been in full cooperation with the investigation.”

“Shock. Shock. That’s about the best way to describe my reaction to this,” said Massillon Police Detective David McConnell.

McConnell said Ford resigned in December of 2021, the outlet notes. An indictment alleges the heinous acts took place between December 2019-December 2021, and “police say she sexually assaulted at least three residents,” WJW reported.

“She had access to these folks and she took full advantage of them,” McConnell said. “They all have Alzheimer’s, dementia, all in the memory care unit and they are all between 79 and 90.”

McConnell told WEWS that she confessed to committing the crimes and videotaping them following her arrest. He noted that police are not closing the investigation as there could be more victims. 

The Inn at University Village released a statement on Ford’s arrest, according to WEWS: 

The safety and well-being of our residents is our highest priority. We have recently been notified that a former employee was involved in mistreating residents. We immediately notified the involved families, police department and other appropriate authorities. We are fully cooperating with the authorities in their investigation. Because of the ongoing investigation and HIPAA laws, we are unable to comment further at this time.

Ford is being held in Stark County Jail on a $250,000 bond, inmate records show. Her next day in court is set for March 11.