Woman charged for allegedly abusing Neighborhood Retirement Center resident

RIO RANCHO — A woman has been charged for allegedly abusing a retiree in a Rio Rancho senior living facility.

Laureta Disue, 43, of Rio Rancho, was charged Nov. 13 for abuse of a resident at the Neighborhood Retirement Center off of Northern and Loma Colorado boulevards.

The administrator reported the incident to Rio Rancho police, stating she received an email from the victim’s family with camera footage of the resident being aggressively pulled from their side by Disue, according to a criminal complaint filed in the 13th Judicial District Court of Sandoval County. She also said that the victim was moved without another certified nursing assistant present, against the center’s policy.

Police who watched the footage noted that Disue grabbed the victim and violently pulled them to their side in an “unnecessary manner” in order to change their undergarments, then shoved them back onto the bed.

“She did not display patience or sympathy for clearly upsetting her patient and making her uncomfortable,” an officer stated.

They added that in the video, the victim was clearly in distress and visually seen crying during the the altercation.

Police also noted that they thought they heard Disue say, “Shush, be quiet,” but couldn’t confirm because the footage volume was low.

The administrator alleged that Disue said, “I did not know the family had turned the cameras back on,” after being confronted.

At that moment, the report states, Disue was speaking with the director of nursing and human resources regarding the incident. It states they were going to terminate her and review the incident for further recommendation that she lose her license and certifications in nursing.

The victim indicated that they were not in pain nor injured.

In Disue’s letter about the incident, she states that she promised herself “to never do that again.”

She told police that she apologized if the family felt that she was too rough with the resident but that she did not think she was. She said she knew she was supposed to have another CNA with her to assist but they were busy and she took it upon herself to help the resident alone.

The family decided to pursue charges, and Disue could face a year and a half or more if she is convicted. She was released with conditions.

The case is scheduled for preliminary examination next month, according to court records.