Office of the Kane County State’s Attorney

JOSEPH H. McMAHON
State’s Attorney
Kane County Judicial Center
37W777 Route 38 Suite 300
St. Charles, Illinois 60175

General Offices: (630) 232-3500
Contact:
Christopher Nelson (630) 232-3500

PAIR PLEAD GUILTY TO BATTERING CARE HOME RESIDENT
January 9, 2015
Two young women have pleaded guilty to battering an elderly woman who was a
resident in a St. Charles long-term care home.
Chemyra A. Barnett, 19 (d.o.b. 11-23-95), of the 300 block of Watch Court, Elgin,
and Jacqueline T. Santos, 19 (d.o.b. 11-2-95), of the 1300 block of Timber Lane,
South Elgin, today each agreed to a sentence of two years’ probation and 100 hours
of community service in exchange for a guilty plea to one count of battery, a Class A
misdemeanor.
Circuit Judge Susan Clancy Boles accepted the plea.
According to evidence presented in court, on March 11, 2014, Barnett and Santos
were nursing assistants at the Rosewood Care Center in the 800 block of Dunham
Road in St. Charles. They were assigned to help the victim, a 97-year-old woman
suffering from dementia, get back into her bed using a medical device to lift the
victim. Barnett began to lightly slap the victim in the face with a nylon strap from the
lifting device, and Santos used a personal cell phone to video record the battery.
The video later was uploaded by Santos to a social media application. The video
showed the victim crying out, “Don’t! Don’t!” as she was being stuck, and the
defendants could be heard laughing.
The victim did not suffer any physical injuries, but did suffer discomfort as evidenced
by her crying out.
In addition to the probationary term and standard fines and costs, the women each
must complete 100 hours of community service within 18 months through the
St. Charles Police Department, pay $500 to Kane County Senior Services, undergo an
anger management evaluation and follow all recommendations, maintain full
employment, attend college or prove that they are attempting to attain appropriate
employment, and they are to have no contact with one another.
The women each had been free on $1,500 bond.

 Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said:
“As this case progressed, its unique facts and circumstances came into clear view, as
did the need for a disposition that strikes the right balance.
“It is important that Miss Barnett and Miss Santos understand the heartless and
harmful nature of their actions, and it is important for others to see that such actions
will not go unpunished. But it also is important to give these two young women a
chance at redemption. I think this sentence accomplishes that.
“The fact that the victim suffered no physical injury played a role in my decision to
allow a plea to a lesser charge, as did the fact that although their actions were
thoughtless and egregious, these women had no intention of causing harm to
anyone. I do not want to minimize their treatment of the victim, but I also do not want
to permanently impede their lives and their ability to gain further education and
meaningful employment. They owe a debt to society, but it is not too great a debt.
“We consulted with the victim’s family before we made this plea offer, and they were
in agreement. We appreciate their participation in this process.”
The case was prosecuted by Kane County Assistant State’s Attorney Greg Sams.