Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday that a licensed practical nurse at Florida State Hospital has been arrested and charged with one count of abuse of a disabled adult at the facility. Melody A. Melton, of Blountstown, was arrested on a felony warrant by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The investigation revealed that Melton, 45, struck a disabled woman at the mental health facility. Authorities say Melton attempted to forcibly administer medications to the victim by holding her nose closed in an attempt to force her mouth open, slapping her across the face, and pulling the victim’s hair. Melton is charged with one count of abuse of a disabled adult, a third degree felony. If convicted she faces up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit of Florida. Investigators with the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit received information regarding the alleged abuse from the Florida Department of Children and Families’ Adult Protective Services Program. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest.
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