BAYVILLE, New Jersey — Patricia Lindo-Ahono, 59, the director of nursing at Crystal Lake Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, has been indicted and arraigned on multiple charges related to the alleged assault of an elderly resident and a subsequent cover-up, state officials announced this week.
A state grand jury issued the indictment on July 23, 2025, charging Lindo-Ahono with second- and third-degree aggravated assault, neglect of an elderly or disabled adult, tampering with witnesses, assault on an institutionalized elderly person, and falsifying records. She was arrested the following day and arraigned on October 6.
According to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, the alleged assault occurred on June 24, 2023. A nurse reportedly recorded video showing Lindo-Ahono striking a male resident, identified as E.N.J., with a broom, causing his hand to bleed. In the footage, she can allegedly be heard saying, “Call [staff member] before I kill this man.”
Lindo-Ahono later submitted a report claiming the incident happened four days earlier and that the resident had attacked her with a razor—claims contradicted by video evidence and witness statements. Investigators also found false details in her report, including references to emergency medical response and hospital transport that never occurred.
Authorities say oversight agencies, such as the Department of Health and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman, were never notified, despite her documentation stating otherwise.
The case gained attention after the video surfaced publicly, prompting a joint investigation by the Berkeley Township Police Department and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). During the investigation, Lindo-Ahono allegedly attempted to influence a supervisor’s testimony, reportedly telling them, “You don’t remember anything, right?”
The investigation was led by Detectives Alyssa Singh and Daniel Creighton under the supervision of senior law enforcement officials. Deputy Attorney General Camille McKnight is prosecuting the case.
Lindo-Ahono is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and significant fines.
The case has drawn attention to oversight failures in New Jersey’s long-term care system and the role of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which receives 75% of its $12.63 million funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
