(St Cloud Police Department)
A Florida nurse is facing serious criminal charges after being accused of “acts of torture” against a severely disabled teenager she was hired to care for.
Nia Ayers, 24, has been charged with aggravated assault after disturbing home surveillance footage reportedly showed her abusing an 18-year-old quadriplegic woman who is non-verbal and has cerebral palsy.
The horrifying discovery was made on May 3, when the teen’s mother noticed red marks and scrapes on her daughter’s face. Alarmed, she reviewed their in-home surveillance camera and what she saw led to immediate police involvement.
According to the arrest affidavit, the footage shows Ayers taping the young woman’s mouth shut, violently ripping it off, shaking her body, and tampering with her breathing machine, causing a nosebleed. In one particularly distressing scene, Ayers can allegedly be seen holding a washcloth over the victim’s mouth as she struggles in visible distress.
“She was literally torturing her,” an officer stated in the arrest warrant, adding that the video was “disturbing beyond words.”
Ayers, who had been working as a licensed practical nurse since 2021 without prior complaints, turned herself in at the St. Cloud Police Department after a warrant was issued for her arrest. She is now being held at the Osceola County Jail without bond.
The victim’s mother, devastated by the betrayal, revealed that Ayers had been caring for her daughter for more than a year. She told Orlando’s Fox 35 she is “sick to her stomach” after watching the video and is still extremely emotional about the incident. “Thank God my daughter is alive,” she added, noting she hopes this tragic situation serves as a warning for other families.
Police Chief Douglas Goerke emphasized the seriousness of the case. “This is just beyond shocking,” he said. “If we uncover more, rest assured we will keep piling on the charges to make sure she either stays behind bars for good or is never allowed near a vulnerable person again.”
Both healthcare companies that employed Ayers have been notified, and investigators are continuing to review additional footage from the home to determine whether further abuse occurred. Ayers’ next court date has not been scheduled, and it remains unclear if she has retained legal representation.
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