Published: July 02, 2009 11:11 pm      

VanWinkle charged with raping teen

Woman previously pleaded guilty to abuse at local nursing home

A former nurse’s aide who pleaded guilty to reckless abuse of an adult following an investigation at Madison Manor was arrested Tuesday for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old boy.

Jaclyn Dawn VanWinkle, 26, of Boone Way, is charged with third-degree rape, third-degree sodomy and third-degree unlawful transaction with a minor.

According to Richmond Police Department spokesman Sgt. Willard Reardon, police were contacted Sunday and notified that VanWinkle had allegedly engaged in sexual activity with the child.

Detective Eric Long investigated the case and the boy told police VanWinkle gave him alcoholic beverages and had sex with him, Reardon said.

VanWinkle was a nurse’s aide at Madison Manor Nursing Home, part of the Richmond Health and Rehabilitation Complex, when she was caught on videotape dancing in front of a patient, Armeda Thomas of Irvine.

Thomas’ family had hidden the camera in her room to document possible abuse of residents.

After VanWinkle and other employees were seen on tape abusing Thomas, the state attorney general’s office opened an investigation which led to VanWinkle’s plea in April.

Senior Judge David Hayse sentenced VanWinkle to 12 months in jail, but the sentence was probated for two years on the conditions that VanWinkle assist prosecutors and not commit any other crimes.

VanWinkle also had been charged with driving under the influence after being released from the Madison County Detention Center, but that case was dealt with at the same time as her guilty plea on the wanton abuse charge.

She also was named as a defendant in a civil suit filed by the executrix for Thomas’ estate, charging that VanWinkle, the nursing home and two other former employees, Amanda G. Sallee and Valerie E. Lamb, were negligent in their care.

The suit alleges that Thomas was “chronically neglected, provided substandard care, abused and intimidated.”

Sallee was indicted in April shortly after VanWinkle’s guilty plea on a felony charge of wanton abuse or neglect of an adult, while Lamb is charged with reckless abuse or neglect. Lamb’s case is scheduled for a Sept. 18 trial in Madison District Court, while Sallee is scheduled to appear in Madison Circuit Court on Aug. 6 for a pretrial hearing.

VanWinkle is lodged in the detention center in lieu of a $10,000 cash bond, jail officials said Thursday morning.



Brian Smith may be reached at bsmith@richmondregister.com or at 624-6694.