Woman guilty of burning vulnerable adult

RANDALLSTOWN, Md. (WMAR) - Attorney General Douglas Gansler announced today that Olufunke Rachel Anifowose, 36, has been found guilty of second degree abuse of a vulnerable adult.

Anifowose was sentenced to 18 months in prison, all of which was suspended, however, she will be service 18 months of probation, during which time she is to have no supervising of vulnerable adults.

According to the conviction, Anifowose inflicted a burn by unknown means to the side of the face of the victim while she was in bed at a home for disabled adults operated by United Cerebral Palsy of Central Maryland near Randallstown.  

The victim, then 64, with both physical and cognitive disabilities, suffered a second degree burn to her cheek. When she was transported that afternoon to her niece's home for a visit, her niece saw the injury and took her for medical treatment.

The investigation determined that the victim was in the home and solely in Anifowose's care. While Anifowose denied causing the injury, she admitted that she neglected her duties by sleeping through a large portion of her shift.

Two other residents in the home at the time had limited mobility and were confined to their own room when the injury occurred. Only Anifowose had access to the victim, who initially reported the injury as a scratch, but medical personnel determined it to be a burn.

Speaking on behalf of the victim, who is non-verbal, her niece described in a victim impact statement how her aunt carries physical and emotional scars as a result of the abuse and still awakens in the middle of the night screaming.