CONEY ISLAND, Brooklyn (WABC) — A tragic and violent incident at a Brooklyn nursing home has left the family of 89-year-old Holocaust survivor Nina Kravtsov searching for answers — and justice.
Kravtsov, a great-grandmother born in Ukraine, died from blunt force trauma after being found with severe head injuries in her room at Seagate Nursing Home, where she had lived for several years.
Authorities say her 95-year-old roommate, Galina Smirnova, who reportedly has dementia, is the alleged attacker. The two women had only shared a room for two days.
Kravtsov was found unconscious and rushed to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The medical examiner confirmed her injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma.
The suspected weapon: a wheelchair leg rest, which was discovered discarded outside the building. Prosecutors say staff found Smirnova cleaning blood off herself and around the room shortly after the attack.
“The way she died is like a Stephen King horror movie. This doesn’t happen in real life,” said Randy Zelin, the attorney representing Kravtsov’s family.
Smirnova was arraigned on Wednesday in Brooklyn Criminal Court and is being held without bail. Her mental state, especially her dementia diagnosis, could play a key role in both the criminal case and an expected civil lawsuit.
Zelin notes that dementia could be used by the defense to argue Smirnova lacked intent. However, the family’s legal team may argue that her actions after the incident — discarding the weapon and attempting to clean the scene — suggest awareness.
The family is also preparing to sue Seagate Nursing Home, claiming it was negligent to place a new patient with dementia in a shared room without proper supervision.
“This may have been prevented with different protocols or staffing,” Zelin said. “Our team will seek accountability.”
Eyewitness News has reached out to Seagate Nursing Home for comment but has not yet received a response.
