Posted on January 3, 2022

Home Health Aide Gail Godwin Faces Manslaughter Charges in Death of 83-Year-Old Patient

Jenna DeAngelis, CBS New York, December 30, 2021

A home health aide on Long Island has been arrested and accused of killing the man she was supposed to be taking care of.

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“There were 15 police vehicles out here,” neighbor Paul Falabella said.

They were responding to the home of a longtime neighbor, 83-year-old John Busch.

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Police say late that afternoon, his home health aide, 62-year-old Gail Godwin, struck Busch in the head with a wooden object. Since he was on prescribed blood thinners, which Godwin was allegedly aware of, Busch began bleeding profusely.

Gail Godwin

Gail Godwin

“Gail Godwin did not call for an ambulance, did not get any further medical attention for this man, and instead attempted to clean up the blood around the house caused by her assault,” Nassau County Police Homicide Squad Det. Sgt. Stephen Fitzpatrick said.

A home health aide for 42 years, Godwin was the victim’s aide for 18 months.

According to the felony complaint, he couldn’t care for himself as he was suffering from multiple diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

“Apparently, the victim was in an elderly state. He was aggressive at times and she just lost her temper,” Fitzpatrick said.

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