- David Schwendiman, a nurse, received probation and community service after admitting to abuse of an 85-year-old woman in his care.
- The woman died eight days later, but autopsy results showed the abuse didn't significantly contribute to her death.
SALT LAKE CITY — A man who had been employed as a nurse at a nursing home was ordered to serve 24 months of probation and do 50 hours of community service after admitting to abuse of a woman in his care.
The 85-year-old woman died just eight days later, but an autopsy found it was unlikely the abuse contributed significantly to her death.
David Schwendiman, 51, of West Jordan, pleaded guilty to abuse of a vulnerable adult, a class A misdemeanor, on Jan. 20 under a plea deal that reduced the charge from aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult, a second-degree felony.
He admitted to intentionally causing harm to the woman on Feb. 14, 2025, including bruises on her legs and face.
Schwendiman said in a plea statement that he "ripped away" a walker she was using, causing her to lose her balance and fall.
As part of his plea deal, prosecutors agreed that additional jail time was not appropriate. Schwendiman was released on bail shortly after he was arrested in July 2025.
He was sentenced by 3rd District Judge James Gardner on March 17 to a year in jail, but that was suspended as long as he follows his probation conditions.
Charging documents said police responded to the Sandstone Nursing Home after an administrator contacted police saying an employee had assaulted a hospice patient. The woman had multiple bruises.
When officers tried to talk to the woman, she exclaimed, "He hit me! He hit me!" and also claimed that Schwendiman yelled an obscenity "to her face during the incident," the charges allege.
Video footage of the incident shows Schwendiman trying to tell the woman to stop and then holding her walker in place before lifting it away from her.
