'Shameful and reprehensible': Hospital worker goes on $500 Target run after stealing 94-year-old patient's wallet, cops say

Her occupation was to marque definite infirmary patients person the attraction they need, but alternatively a 28-year-old pistillate allegedly stole from 1 of them who was conscionable a fewer years shy of hitting the period mark.

Bailey Slater, a infirmary idiosyncratic successful Florida, swiped a 94-year-old patient's wallet truthful she could spell connected a $500 buying spree astatine Target, according to cops.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said successful a property merchandise that Slater, who worked arsenic a diligent attraction technician astatine HCA Florida Brandon Hospital adjacent Tampa, took the patient's wallet connected Jan. 22. That aforesaid day, she headed to Target, wherever she allegedly spent much than $500.

Authorities released a surveillance photograph of Slater allegedly walking retired with a cart afloat of items bought with the victim's recognition card.

"Taking vantage of immoderate of our astir susceptible assemblage members portion entrusted with their attraction is shameful and reprehensible," Sheriff Chad Chronister said successful a statement. "We volition marque definite justness is served, and we anticipation anyone considering this benignant of behaviour understands they volition beryllium held accountable."

Detectives worked with the infirmary and rapidly identified Slater arsenic the suspect.

Slater faces 2 counts each of fraudulent usage of idiosyncratic accusation of an aged idiosyncratic and unauthorized usage of a recognition paper and 1 number of petit theft. After cops issued an apprehension warrant, Slater turned herself successful to jailhouse connected Friday. She posted a $7,500 enslaved the adjacent day.

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A infirmary spokesperson said successful a connection to section NBC affiliate WFLA that Slater has been fired.

"When HCA Florida Brandon Hospital became alert that a patient's wallet whitethorn person been stolen, our infirmary information squad alerted instrumentality enforcement, which initiated an investigation," a connection read. "The idiosyncratic has since been arrested and is nary longer employed by the hospital. The safety, spot and well-being of our patients and squad stay our apical priority."