Home health aide who deliberately ignored 86-year-old man’s deadly fall said, ‘He was old anyway, so what does it matter?’

Beatrice Taylor, a Florida home health aide, is facing charges of aggravated manslaughter after she allegedly neglected an 86-year-old man, Edward Anderson, who fell out of bed during her overnight shift.

Instead of helping him or calling for assistance, Taylor left him on the floor and went back to sleep. Anderson, who was in hospice care following heart issues, died as a result of positional asphyxia, according to an autopsy.

The incident occurred on August 15, in Winter Haven, Florida, where Taylor, employed by Assisting Hands Home Health Care, began her shift at around 9 p.m.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, around 1 a.m., Taylor heard a thump from Anderson’s bedroom. Upon investigating, she found him lying on the floor with his head wedged between the bed and nightstand. Though Anderson told her not to touch him, Taylor failed to seek help and went back to sleep.

Taylor didn’t check on Anderson again until several hours later, after making a 40-minute phone call with her parents. At that point, Anderson was unconscious. Despite her parents urging her to call 911, Taylor first contacted her employer and delayed calling emergency services until 5:37 a.m.

Paramedics arrived and pronounced Anderson dead at the scene.

The medical examiner determined that Anderson was still alive after his fall, and that had Taylor called 911 immediately, as per company policy, Anderson would likely have survived.

Taylor defended her actions to detectives, saying, “I didn’t kill that man,” and a paramedic allegedly overheard her saying, “He was old anyway so what does it matter?”

Taylor, who had worked for Assisting Hands for eight months, was fired after the incident when she stopped showing up to work. Assisting Hands released a statement expressing condolences but declined to comment on the specific case, citing privacy protections.

Taylor remains in the Polk County Jail without bond.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd condemned Taylor’s actions, calling them “outrageous and egregious,” and expressing disbelief at her neglectful attitude.

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Anderson, who had been married to his wife Janet for over 60 years, was remembered for his dedication to his wife, especially in their later years as she faced health challenges.