Alerts from a camera in her mother’s nursing home room first raised Camyl Anderson’s suspicions.
“I started getting more notifications than usual from the Ring camera in my mom’s room, and when I checked, I saw a man sitting on her bed putting on his shoes like he was about to leave,” Anderson said.
Alarmed, Anderson, 35, reviewed the footage and realized the man had been inside the room for more than an hour. She said she called staff at La Mirada Heights Provincial Senior Living and asked caregivers to check on her mother, who has dementia.
“When I called the caregivers, they said she didn’t have clothes on and didn’t know what had happened,” Anderson said.
So she rushed to the facility and contacted authorities.
According to Los Angeles County prosecutors, the man was Jonathan Michael Alvarado, 38, a volunteer piano player at the facility.
Alvarado was arrested on June 13 and charged with two counts of rape of a person incapable of giving consent and committing a lewd act on a dependent adult related to a June 10 incident, according to the criminal complaint. Prosecutors allege the victim was unable to consent due to a mental disorder and physical or developmental disability.
Since his arrest, Alvarado has posted $150,000 bail and is out of custody pending a preliminary hearing. His attorney declined to comment. On March 9, Anderson filed a lawsuit against both the facility where her mother resided and Alvarado, alleging negligence, elder abuse, sexual battery and emotional distress, among other claims.
Surveillance footage Anderson shared with The Times shows a man removing his clothing prior to her mother’s assault. The family installed the camera when she moved into the facility because of her diagnosis, Anderson said.
After Alvarado’s arrest, Anderson said the family went back through all the footage they had from their mother’s room and found at least one other incident.
“It was very disturbing,” she said.
The lawsuit claims operators of the facility allowed Alvarado access to residents despite warning signs about his behavior, including concerns raised by the victim’s family. Staff failed to investigate those concerns or restrict his access, ultimately allowing him continued contact with vulnerable residents, according to the civil complaint.
“If you’re inviting third parties onto the premises to interact with seniors, you are responsible for their conduct, their background, and who you’re allowing access to vulnerable residents,” said Dominique N. Westmoreland, Anderson’s attorney.
La Mirada Heights is marketed as an independent senior living community designed for older adults who can live on their own while receiving optional support services, according to the facility’s website. The community offers private apartments, chef-prepared meals, housekeeping, transportation and social activities, aiming to provide a “maintenance-free” lifestyle. A representative for the facility said they could not comment and referred questions to Discovery Senior Living.
“The safety and wellbeing of our residents is our top priority. We are disturbed by these allegations and will fully cooperate with any criminal investigation. Because this matter involves an ongoing criminal case, and out of respect for the privacy of our resident, it is not appropriate to comment further,” said Laura Lepore, corporate and investor communications at Discovery Senior Living.
According to Anderson and her attorneys, staff at the facility were aware of her mother’s dementia diagnosis and cognitive decline and should have taken better care of her.
“You can’t hide behind the label of independent senior living when you know residents have cognitive impairments and require protection,” Westmoreland said.
He said the case highlights broader concerns about safety in senior living facilities, particularly for residents with cognitive impairments who may be unable to recognize or report abuse.
Initially, Anderson said she had to tell deputies investigating her report that her mother had dementia for them to take it more seriously and call in detectives. A criminal case was initially filed against Alvarado on July 29, but prosecutors sent it back for additional investigation. The case was eventually resubmitted and Alvarado was charged, according to Zara Lockshin, a public information specialist with the L.A. County district attorney’s office.
Alvarado pleaded not guilty in January. The civil suit against the facility is pending.
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