Fondling two 84-year-olds put him in jail. He still has his physical therapy license
A Florida physical therapist assistant who was sentenced to a year in jail after fondling the breasts of two elderly patients in separate incidents still has his license — for now.
Charles Thomas of Ocala was sentenced March 18 after pleading guilty to two counts of battery on a person 65 years or older and one count of indecent exposure, exposure of sexual organs. Two days later, the Florida Department of Health hit his license with an emergency restriction order (ERO). Until further notice, he can no longer practice physical therapy on female clients.
The ERO says the Department of Health will go for formal discipline of Thomas’ license after this case of elder abuse.
According to the ERO, the 57-year-old Thomas did as-needed physical therapy to residents at Gainesville’s Palm Garden skilled nursing facility and nursing home. Last July 28, according to the ERO report, he was scheduled to work with an 84-year-old woman.
Thomas touched her breasts while helping her out of her recliner.
“Patient ... moved Mr. Thomas’ hand down, as she initially believed that Mr. Thomas had mistakenly touched her breasts,” the ERO says. “However, Mr. Thomas moved his hand back to [patient’s] breasts several more times. Patient ... told Mr. Thomas that she did not like him touching her breasts. Mr. Thomas replied that he would not hurt her.”
He asked to use the bathroom in the room. The ERO said the patient wanted to say no, but “did not object because Mr. Thomas was larger and stronger than her.”
Her instincts turned out to be correct.
“While Mr. Thomas walked to the bathroom, he unbuckled his pants and asked if Patient M.G. wanted to look,” the ERO says. “Mr. Thomas again asked if [the patient] wanted to look at his penis and exposed it to [patient] by removing his penis from his pants.”
Two days later, Thomas was back at Palm Garden, taking another 84-year-old, to a private gym room for physical therapy.
“While [the second patient] began her physical therapy exercises, Mr. Thomas approached her from behind and began to massage [patient’s] breasts with both hands,” the ERO said. The patient “was terrorized, humiliated and froze because she knew she was strong enough to defend herself from Mr. Thomas.”
Thomas was arrested on Aug. 15.
