Some people are supposed to care for our most vulnerable citizens.
One Florida hospital worker had a different idea.
And a surveillance photo caught this hospital worker red-handed after she did this to a 94-year-old patient.
Hospital Worker Steals From Patient Within Hours
Bailey Slater had one job at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital near Tampa.
The 28-year-old patient care technician was supposed to help patients, not rob them blind.
On January 22, Slater stole a 94-year-old patient's wallet while the elderly woman was under her care.
She went straight from the hospital to Target and racked up more than $500 in purchases that same day.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office released surveillance footage showing Slater wheeling a shopping cart overflowing with bags out of the Target store.
Hospital officials discovered the theft and contacted law enforcement immediately.
A warrant was issued for her arrest, and Slater turned herself in to the Orient Road Jail on Friday.
She's facing serious charges including first-degree petit theft, two counts of unauthorized use of a credit card, and two counts of fraudulent use of personal information of an elderly person.
HCA Florida Brandon Hospital fired Slater the moment they confirmed her involvement.
"When HCA Florida Brandon Hospital became aware that a patient's wallet may have been stolen, our hospital security team alerted law enforcement, which initiated an investigation," a hospital spokesperson told NBC affiliate WFLA.
This Pattern Is Getting Worse
Slater's case mirrors another Florida hospital theft from just months ago.
Yudier Sanchez was arrested in August of 2025 for stealing a 75-year-old patient's $45,000 Rolex Presidential watch from Keralty Hospital in Miami.
Sanchez was caught on camera pocketing the watch while pretending to place it in a safekeeping envelope.
The watch belonged to the patient's late husband.
These cases show a disturbing pattern of healthcare workers exploiting the people they're supposed to protect.
Research shows approximately 10% of older adults in the United States experience abuse, neglect, or exploitation each year.
Financial exploitation is the most common form of elder abuse.
Sheriff Chad Chronister didn't mince words about the betrayal.
"Taking advantage of some of our most vulnerable community members while entrusted with their care is shameful and reprehensible," Chronister said. "We will make sure justice is served, and we hope anyone considering this kind of behavior understands they will be held accountable."
The elderly are easy targets because they're often physically vulnerable, cognitively impaired, or unable to defend themselves.
When the abuse comes from a healthcare worker who's supposed to be caring for them, the betrayal cuts deeper.
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Slater posted a $7,500 bond and was released the day after turning herself in.
The 94-year-old victim whose wallet was stolen probably trusted Slater.
Hospital workers are supposed to be there to help, not steal from patients who can't defend themselves.
That shopping cart full of bags at Target was bought with money stolen from a woman who's nearly 100 years old and was hospitalized at the time.
Someone's great-grandmother is lying in a hospital bed, and the person assigned to take care of her is rifling through her belongings looking for credit cards to max out at Target.
This isn't just theft.
It's a violation of trust that should disgust anyone with a conscience.
The surveillance photo shows exactly what happened.
Slater thought she could get away with it because her victim was vulnerable.
She was wrong.
Sources:
- Stephen Sorace, "Florida hospital worker allegedly stole wallet from 94-year-old patient, racked up $500 on credit cards," Fox News, February 4, 2026.
- Frederick Marvin Lumba, "Hospital Worker Steals 94-Year-Old Patient's Wallet, Arrested After $500 Target Spree," International Business Times UK, February 5, 2026.
- David Harris, "'Shameful and reprehensible': Hospital worker goes on $500 Target run after stealing 94-year-old patient's wallet, cops say," Law & Crime, February 4, 2026.
- Katelyn Massarelli, "Ex-Brandon hospital worker accused of stealing patient's wallet, spending more than $500 on credit cards," Fox 13 Tampa Bay, February 3, 2026.
- "Miami hospital worker arrested in theft of patient's $45K Rolex: Police," NBC Miami, August 19, 2025.
- "Healthcare Clinicians' Perspectives on Managing Suspected Elder Abuse," Innovation in Aging, Oxford Academic, May 16, 2025.
