Patricia Linda-Ahono, the director of nursing at Crystal Lake Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Bayville, New Jersey, has been indicted on charges related to the assault of a resident and an alleged attempt to cover up the incident. The indictment was announced by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, along with the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP).
Linda-Ahono, 59, from Irvington, was indicted by a state grand jury on July 23, 2025. She faces multiple charges including two counts of aggravated assault (second and third degree), neglect of an elderly or disabled adult (third degree), tampering with witnesses (third degree), assault on an institutionalized elderly person (fourth degree), and falsifying records (fourth degree). She was arrested on July 24 and arraigned on October 6.
“Residents of adult care facilities need to be treated with respect and dignity, and be safe,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Physically assaulting a resident is inexcusable, and we will not stand by and allow such conduct to go undetected.”
DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton stated: “The allegations in this indictment are extremely troubling. 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.”
Interim Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Al Garcia added: “When information about this incident came to light, our office immediately began investigating. 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.”
According to case documents, the alleged incident occurred on June 24, 2023. A nurse recorded video footage that reportedly shows Linda-Ahono striking resident E.N.J. with a broom in a hallway on the facility’s fifth floor; blood can be seen dripping from the victim’s left hand. During the incident Linda-Ahono is heard saying: “Call (staff member) (inaudible) before I kill this man.”
Linda-Ahono later filed an incident report stating that the event took place four days earlier than reported by others and claimed that she used a broom defensively after being attacked with a razor by the resident—a claim contradicted by both video evidence and witness statements.
The report also asserted that police and emergency services were called following the altercation; however, staff members indicated Linda-Ahono instructed them not to call authorities or escalate matters further. Additionally, regulatory agencies such as the Department of Health (DOH), Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman (LTCO), and Office of Public Guardian (OPG) confirmed they had not been notified despite claims made in Linda-Ahono's report.
After video evidence became public, investigations were launched by both Berkeley Township Police Department and OIFP’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). During their inquiry in December 2024, officers overheard Linda-Ahono telling an on-duty supervisor over the phone: “You don’t remember anything, right?”
Detectives Alyssa Singh and Daniel Creighton led the investigation under supervision from Sergeant Justin Callahan, Lieutenant Joseph Jaruszewski, and Deputy Chief Rich King. DAG Camille McKnight is prosecuting under Assistant Bureau Chief Michael Klein and Bureau Chief Heather Hadley.
The indictment states that all charges are accusations at this stage; Linda-Ahono is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Potential penalties for these offenses range from up to ten years’ imprisonment for second-degree charges—with fines reaching $150,000—to lesser sentences for third- or fourth-degree offenses.
New Jersey’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives most of its funding through federal grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services while state funds cover remaining costs.
