Canfield group home supervisor accused of putting out cigarette on disabled patient's arm
A Canfield nursing home employee is facing charges after allegedly burning a wheelchair-bound patient by putting out a cigarette on his arm.
According to a police report, the incident happened June 29 on Skyline Drive when the patient was in his wheelchair smoking a cigarette when a supervisor, identified as 38-year-old Banjo Akande pulled up in his car.
Police say Akande got out of the car and yelled at the patient for smoking, took the cigarette from him and put it out on his arm burning him, which police say left a mark.
Akande then allegedly asked the patient "did that hurt," to which he replied that it did. Police say this incident was reported and Akande was suspended from work indefinitely.
Another supervisor told police when she confronted Akande about this asking why he would do that, he did not deny it and simply replied, "[patient's name] shouldn't be smoking" and "I'm not denying it."
On July 1, police got in contact with Akande about the incident. Police say he admitted to burning the cigarette out on the patient's arm claiming he did it not out of anger but "as a joke."
The following day, a warrant was issued for Akande with two charges including one count of patient abuse and one count of assault on a functionally impaired person. Both fourth degree felonies
Akande turned himself in on July 5 and was arraigned that same day. He's due back in court for a preliminary hearing July 26.