Judge rejects plea deal for former Heritage Springs aide accused of elder abuse

Lewisburg, Pa. — A Union County judge rejected the plea deal Monday for a former resident aide who pleaded guilty to elder abuse charges at Heritage Springs Memory Care in Lewisburg.

Though Madison Laine Cox, 19, of Montgomery, was scheduled for sentencing, Judge Michael Piecuch did not accept her plea deal. "We will go back to the drawing board," said Union County District Attorney Brian L. Kerstetter.

Cox pleaded guilty in February to 12 misdemeanors, including one count of criminal conspiracy to commit abuse of a care-dependent person and 11 counts of abuse of a care-dependent person. She originally was charged in July with 17 misdemeanors of abuse.

Police say Cox and an unidentified 17-year-old boy of Montgomery were accused of taking nude and degrading photos and videos of at least 15 residents between December 2022 and April 2023 at Heritage Springs Memory Care.

The boy, who also was a resident aide there at the time, was charged in July. His case was transferred to Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas. He was sentenced on April 11 by Judge Ryan Tira. Although the boy is now 18, no information about the sentencing is available due to the case being filed when he was a minor.

Cox and the unidentified male are accused of posing patients in the shower or on the toilet, taking photos of residents who defecated themselves, and taking photos or videos of those who had fallen to the floor, according to court documents filed by Buffalo Valley Regional Police Department. Most of the patients suffered from various stages of Alzheimer's and dementia.

Police found out about the abuse on April 19, 2023 after the mother of one of the boy's classmates contacted Montgomery Area School District about the inappropriate photos and videos the boy had on his phone. Cox and the boy allegedly shared the photos and videos with each other and posted on SnapChat. The boy also reportedly shared images with classmates at school.

Cox's case is back on the pretrial list. The case could go to trial or she could enter another plea agreement.

Kerstetter is prosecuting the case. Cox is being represented by attorney Graham Showalter of Lewisburg.