By Steve Pope | August 9, 2018
An Erie man who poured scalding water on a disabled man, severely burning him, was sentenced to two and a half years to five years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation.
Akeem Nixon, 27, of Erie, pleaded guilty in June to neglect of a care-dependent person and aggravated assault as a result of pouring scalding water on a 38-year-old man, who was living at the Lakeshore Community Services in Erie, where Nixon was employed as a direct support aide.
According to a criminal complaint on June 17, 2017, Nixon and another aide were working the day shift and were planning to attend an off-site event with another Lakeshore resident. Nixon stayed at the residence alone with the victim, a 38-year who suffers from cerebral palsy.
When the other caregiver returned that evening, Nixon told him the victim was asleep. Nixon left a short time later at the end of his shift. When another aide arrived, the victim came out of his bedroom and said, “Hurt, hurt.”
A doctor evaluated the man and determined that he had received second degree burns over 20 percent of his body.
“This defendant assaulted a disabled man in his care with scalding water,” Attorney General Shapiro said. “Today, he was held accountable for his crimes. Protecting care-dependent Pennsylvanians from neglect and assaults like this is a high priority of my office.”
Steve Pope can be contacted at steve.pope@grantstreetnews.com
