Two young women have pleaded guilty to battering an elderly woman who was a resident in a St. Charles long-term care home.

Chemyra A. Barnett, 19, of the 300 block of Watch Court, Elgin, and Jacqueline T. Santos, 19, of the 1300 block of Timber Lane, South Elgin, on Friday each agreed to a sentence of two years’ probation and 100 hours of community service in exchange for a guilty plea to one count of battery, a Class A misdemeanor.

Circuit Judge Susan Clancy Boles accepted the plea.

According to evidence presented in court, on March 11, 2014, Barnett and Santos were nursing assistants at the Rosewood Care Center in the 800 block of Dunham Road in St. Charles. They were assigned to help the victim, a 97-year-old woman suffering from dementia, get back into her bed using a medical device to lift the victim. Barnett began to lightly slap the victim in the face with a nylon strap from the lifting device, and Santos used a personal cell phone to video record the battery.

The video later was uploaded by Santos to a social media application. The video showed the victim crying out, “Don’t! Don’t!” as she was being struck, and the defendants could be heard laughing.

The victim did not suffer any physical injuries, but did suffer discomfort as evidenced by her crying out.

In addition to the probationary term and standard fines and costs, the women each must complete 100 hours of community service within 18 months through the St. Charles Police Department, pay $500 to Kane County Senior Services, undergo an anger management evaluation and follow all recommendations, maintain full employment, attend college or prove that they are attempting to attain appropriate employment, and they are to have no contact with one another.

The women each had been free on $1,500 bond.

Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said the sentence was appropriate.

“As this case progressed, its unique facts and circumstances came into clear view, as did the need for a disposition that strikes the right balance.

“It is important that Miss Barnett and Miss Santos understand the heartless and harmful nature of their actions, and it is important for others to see that such actions will not go unpunished. But it also is important to give these two young women a chance at redemption. I think this sentence accomplishes that.

“The fact that the victim suffered no physical injury played a role in my decision to allow a plea to a lesser charge, as did the fact that although their actions were thoughtless and egregious, these women had no intention of causing harm to anyone. I do not want to minimize their treatment of the victim, but I also do not want to permanently impede their lives and their ability to gain further education and meaningful employment. They owe a debt to society, but it is not too great a debt.

“We consulted with the victim’s family before we made this plea offer, and they were in agreement. We appreciate their participation in this process.”

The case was prosecuted by Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Greg Sams.

Chemyra A. Barnett

Jacqueline T. Santos

SOURCE: Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office press release