Former New Jersey Care Worker Alleges Patient Abuse, Record Tampering, and Retaliation at Assisted Living Facility
A former health aide has filed a lawsuit against an assisted living facility in Bergen County, New Jersey, claiming she was threatened, discriminated against, and eventually fired after reporting serious incidents involving patient safety and alleged abuse. The lawsuit describes multiple events that the former employee says took place while she was working overnight and caring for elderly residents.
Juana Rodriguez, a 62-year-old health aide from Garfield, New Jersey, alleges that she discovered a resident dead after an apparent fall, witnessed an alleged sexual assault involving another resident, and repeatedly faced intimidation after trying to report what she had seen. The claims are outlined in a lawsuit filed in New Jersey Superior Court on March 31.
According to the court filing, Rodriguez worked at Allendale Senior Living and says she followed proper procedures by documenting incidents that occurred during her shifts. However, she alleges that instead of receiving support, she was pressured to change official records and remain silent.
One of the most serious allegations involves an overnight shift on October 10, 2024. Rodriguez says she found a resident lying dead on the floor after what appeared to be a fall. She immediately notified a supervisor and completed an incident report describing what she observed.
The lawsuit states that Rodriguez reported the resident appeared to have slipped, fallen, struck his head, and died. She also noted that the resident’s body had turned purple in color.
Rodriguez claims her supervisor later destroyed the original report and replaced it with another document stating the resident had died of natural causes. According to the lawsuit, the supervisor instructed her to repeat that version if anyone asked questions.
The lawsuit further alleges that Rodriguez was warned that her original report could create legal problems for the facility and that she was told she could lose her state certification and even face jail if she spoke about what had happened.
Several months later, Rodriguez says she witnessed another disturbing incident while working a shift in February 2025. According to the lawsuit, she and another health aide entered a resident’s room and allegedly saw a newly hired employee sexually assaulting a patient.
Rodriguez says she immediately informed her manager and later prepared a detailed written report describing the incident. She claims her supervisor dismissed her concerns and instructed her to shorten the report to only a few lines.
The lawsuit states Rodriguez refused to rewrite or reduce her statement because she wanted the incident fully documented.
She also alleges that her supervisor threatened her with deportation and the loss of her state-certified license if she reported the matter to the facility’s owner or anyone else.
The lawsuit additionally claims that the employee accused of the assault had not received a required background check before being hired.
According to court records referenced in the lawsuit, the employee was arrested the following day after police arrived at the facility. The lawsuit notes that the arrest was connected to separate criminal allegations unrelated to the incident Rodriguez says she witnessed. Court records also show the individual faced additional sexual offense charges connected to another case.
Attorneys representing Allendale Senior Living have denied the allegations contained in the lawsuit. They argue that the employee’s arrest involved an unrelated matter and dispute the remaining claims made against the facility.
Rodriguez’s lawsuit also describes another workplace dispute involving patient care in March 2025.
She alleges that while helping bathe a resident with mobility limitations, her supervisor ordered her to leave the individual unattended in the bathtub so she could complete another task elsewhere.
According to the lawsuit, Rodriguez refused because she believed leaving the resident alone would place the patient in danger. She claims her supervisor responded by threatening to terminate her employment, revoke her certification, and have her deported.
The legal complaint further alleges that after Rodriguez reported concerns about her supervisor’s conduct, he became angry, yelled at her in front of other employees, and knocked her phone from her hand, damaging the device.
The lawsuit states Rodriguez was removed from the work schedule on April 1, 2025, effectively placing her on an unpaid suspension. Three days later, she was officially terminated.
After her dismissal, Rodriguez claims she was asked to sign documents written in English, a language she says she does not read fluently. According to the lawsuit, she declined to sign the paperwork because she did not understand its contents.
Her attorney also alleges that after she refused, the supervisor escorted her out of the building and contacted police, although the reason for doing so remains unclear.
Beyond the workplace incidents, Rodriguez alleges she was repeatedly subjected to discrimination because of her Dominican background and limited English proficiency. The lawsuit claims her manager mocked her English, made racist remarks, and threatened both her and her daughter if she discussed the incidents with others.
The lawsuit seeks legal relief under New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act and also includes claims involving wrongful termination, retaliation, and discrimination.
At this stage, the allegations remain claims presented in civil court. The assisted living facility has denied wrongdoing, and the case will proceed through the legal process before any final findings are made.
Sources
- New Jersey Superior Court (Court Records)
- New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act (Official State of New Jersey)
- New Jersey Judiciary
