Man charged with attempted rape of 90-year-old woman at a Warner Robins nursing home

A man is accused of attempting to rape a 90-year-old woman at a Warner Robins nursing home last month.

Leonard Raymon Francis Brown, 28, who was employed at Southern Pines at 801 Elberta Road at the time, was charged with attempted rape and elder abuse.

The victim was a dementia patient at the nursing home, according to an arrest warrant. According to the warrant, here’s what happened:

A shift supervisor confronted Brown after the supervisor saw the victim’s gown pulled down, Brown was ordered out of her room and told not go back in her room.

Brown clocked out, but immediately returned to the room.

Surveillance video from the nursing home shows Brown coming back out of the room a few minutes later with the victim’s gown in his hand. He takes another gown from a cart in the hallway.

He then goes back into the victim’s room.

Brown is in the room for about 30 minutes before a nurse walks by and sees him. The nurse gets other staff members and they go into room.

“Upon entry into the room, the nurse observed Brown at the foot of (the victim’s) bed, zipper down,” the arrest warrant read. “(The victim) was off to the side of the bed and her gown was open...”

Brown left the nursing home when confronted.

Brown out on bond

The arrest warrants indicate that the incident happened between July 7 and July 30. The arrest and booking report indicates an offense date of July 7.

Brown, who was arrested on the charges July 31, is free on a $20,000 bond.

Brown must wear an electronic leg monitor as a condition of the bond granted Thursday by Houston County Chief Superior Court Judge Edward D. Lukemire.

Brown’s attorney, Matthew Pollard, an assistant public defender at the Houston County Public Defender’s Office, declined comment through an office assistant.

Brian Granger, a Houston County assistant district attorney prosecuting the case, declined comment on the facts of the case.

The next step in the legal process is for the case to be presented to a grand jury. However, the assembling of grand juries and jury trials have been suspended indefinitely statewide because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Granger said.

A January inspection of the nursing home by the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division of the Georgia Department of Community Health found no deficiencies, according to online GDCH records.

Donna Stefano, administrator for Southern Pines, released the following written statement:

“Any case of abuse or neglect is appalling and deeply troubling. It is despicable that anyone would prey on the elderly and most vulnerable in our country,” Stefano said in the statement. “Our staff are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of each and every resident and we comply with numerous regulations, along with state and federal laws, that protect our residents.

“We report any suspicions or allegations of abuse immediately to law enforcement and welcome any opportunity to work together with regulators, law enforcement and other stakeholders to ensure the safety and well-being of the individuals in our care,” she said.

In a telephone interview Saturday morning, Stefano said that Brown was a contracted employee through Healthcare Services Group and had been on the job three days at the time of the alleged incident.

Brown, who worked in housekeeping and lawn maintenance, was immediately fired, Stefano said.