HOUSTON – A certified nursing aide has been charged with injury to the elderly after Houston police said she sexually assaulted a patient at the Houston Transitional Care facility located in southwest Houston.
Police say in May of 2021, Natalia McDaniel forcefully held down a 79-year-old patient at the facility and sexually assaulted her.
Prior to this charge, McDaniel was convicted of delivering cocaine back in 1997.
“That employee should’ve been vetted a little more and also watched a little better,” Executive Director of Nixon Homecare Shay Tatum said.
Tatum said she isn’t affiliated with this case, but explained why criminal histories may not be flagged. She said it’s not uncommon for people with records to hold a CNA license because there’s a statute of limitations.
“As long as you have not committed any animal abuse, elderly abuse, and aggravated assault, or any assaults in nature, some things have a statute of limitations,” she explained. “This individual we’re talking about today had a cocaine charge from 20 years ago. Well, the state only requires a five-year clean record.”
She said there are ways to better protect your loved one.
”You need to make sure you come by [at] different times to visit, different times to check on her,” Tatum said. “See if their attitude has changed [or] their mental space has changed.”
KPRC 2 reached out to Houston Transitional Care. They provided the following statement:
“At Houston Transitional Care we are committed to providing high-quality care to our residents, and our staff’s exemplary efforts throughout the pandemic underscore that. While HIPAA privacy and personnel laws prevent us from commenting on many of the questions you raise, we can say that as a matter of public record, the state health oversight agency investigated the incident you reference and found no culpability with regard to HTC and our former employee,” said Spokesperson for Houston Transitional Care Dan Kramer.
KPRC 2 also reached out to Texas Health and Human Services to ask if they are aware of the charges against McDaniel.
They said, in part, “HHSC reviews and investigates allegations of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of resident property by nurse aides. If there’s a finding of an alleged act of abuse, neglect or misappropriation, the nurse aide may request both an informal reconsideration and a formal hearing before the finding is placed on the registry. Certified nursing aides must pass criminal background checks. Employers also are required to check the Nurse Aide Registry to ensure the CNA has not been barred from employment in Texas due to a confirmed allegation of abuse, neglect or exploitation.”
On their website, McDaniel’s is still listed as employable and has an active license.
HPD has a warrant out for her arrest.
“It’s very disheartening when something like this happens to an elderly,” Tatum said.