Attorney General Alan Wilson announces nurse aide charged with assaulting assisted living patient

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that his office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has arrested Latoya L. Fennell, 49 years old, of Early Branch, S.C. 

Fennell faces the following charges:

• One count of Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult {§ 43-35-0085(B)}
• One count of Assault and Battery, Third Degree {§ 16-03-0600(E)(1)}

Fennell was booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center on January 22, 2026.

A joint investigation by the Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud (VAMPF) unit and the Bluffton Police Department determined that on October 31, 2025, Latoya Fennell—a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) employed at The Addison of Bluffton—knowingly and intentionally physically abused a resident by slapping the victim in the face.

At the time of the incident, the victim was classified as a vulnerable adult under South Carolina law and was residing in the assisted living facility located in Bluffton, South Carolina.

The Addison of Bluffton staff identified this event and promptly reported the incident to law enforcement. The facility provided full cooperation and transparency throughout the investigation, assisting investigators from both the VAMPF unit and the Bluffton Police Department.

 South Carolina Offenses and Penalties:

• Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult – Felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years, a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.
• Assault and Battery, Third Degree – Misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 30 days, a fine of not more than $500, or both.

This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

Pursuant to federal regulations, VAMPF has authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes. 

Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,964,287 for federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $988,096 for FFY 2026, is funded by South Carolina.