Ex-nurse sentenced for abuse of patient

CANTON — A former certified nurse's aide was placed on probation for breaking an elderly woman's hand and spraying foam into her mouth and eyes.

Christine M. Borasky, 22, of 1106 Washington St., Ogdensburg, was sentenced Monday in St. Lawrence County Court to five years' probation and will be placed on 90 days electronic home monitoring. She also recently surrendered her state license.

"This was no accident, this was deliberate," said the victim's niece, Jean M. Sawyer of Gouverneur, outside the courtroom. "She got off way too easy."

Ms. Borasky pleaded guilty in September to second-degree endangering the welfare of a vulnerable elderly person, a felony.

She was accused of pulling the hair and spraying foam into the mouth and eyes of Grace M. Bradley, 82, on Aug. 6, 2007, while Ms. Bradley was in the care of United Helpers Nursing Home, Ogdensburg. She also fractured Ms. Bradley's right hand while squeezing it tightly Aug. 17, 2007.

Ms. Bradley died in mid-August, family members said.

Judge Jerome J. Richards said her anger issues definitely weren't compatible around elderly nursing home patients that need specialized care and a lot of patience.

"You were in the wrong business from the start," Judge Richards said.

She originally was charged with two counts each of endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person and willful violation of health laws and a single count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a vulnerable elderly person.

Ralph D. Tortora III of the state attorney general's office in Syracuse, on behalf of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, prosecuted the case. He declined to comment after the sentencing.