A woman was arrested for trying to take her 97 year old mother out of a care home - here’s what happened

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Police temporarily arrested and restrained a 73 year old woman who was trying to take her 97 year old mother out of a care home, it has come to light.

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Video footage of the incident was shared on Facebook by former Coronation Street actor, Leandra Ashton. It took place in a car park in Market Weighton, East Yorkshire on Tuesday 3 November.

Ashton wrote, “Yesterday, my 73 year old Mum, pushed into the care home to hug my 97 year old Grandma who has dementia. She then quietly wheeled her out.

“My Mum is a trained nurse and wishes to care for my Nan at home.”

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In the video clips, Ashton tells the camera, “So let’s just make this very clear, my nan, my 97 year old nan here, who we have taken from the care home, because we haven’t seen her for nine months is now being taken back by force to her care home.

“My mother has been arrested, my mother is in the back of the car here.”

The video then shows Ashton going up to a police car where a woman inside shows her hands in cuffs.

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“Here we have an incredible use of police time to take my 97 year old grandmother back into a care home, where she is deteriorating, where we haven’t been able to see her for nine months,” the actor continued.

‘A Kafka-esque nightmare’

On social media, Ashton wrote that it feels like they are in the worst “Kafka-esque nightmare” with “people in masks coming to take your relative away from you.”

She also explained that the family only has Power of Attorney over her grandmother’s finances, and not for her wellbeing. Ashton claimed she had attempted to go through all the official channels to protect her grandmother, but to no avail.

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She wrote, “[I’ve] written countless letters to MPs, Public Health, the Care home... I have signed petitions, spoken to social workers, we raised a 'safeguarding' concern at the beginning of lockdown due to my Nan's clear deterioration but this was inexplicably dropped and 'disappeared’.

“When she became ill at the care home and was admitted to hospital we asked that she not go back. Yet she was discharged from hospital behind our backs and without our consent.”

Ashton ended her statement by saying that relatives need to be given key worker status, explaining that “they need to be allowed into their relative’s private bedroom to visit, feed and care for their loved ones.”

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What have the police said?

Assistant chief constable Chris Noble of Humberside Police said in a statement that the police officers in the video were responding to “a report of an assault at a care home” at Market Weighton at 11:15 am on Tuesday.

Nobel commented, “The care home had also reported that a woman who they were legally responsible for had been taken from the home by her daughter.

“Officers found both women along with a third woman nearby and informed them that they would need to return the lady to the home, as is their legal duty to do so.

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“The situation was distressing and emotional for everyone and the woman did not want her mother to be returned to the care home staff.

“The officer in attendance had to ensure that everyone was safe and in particular the 97 year old lady who was frail and vulnerable and so made the decision to briefly detain the 73 year old woman until the situation was calm and under control.

“Officers then returned the elderly lady to the home. The 73 year old lady was then immediately unrestrained, de-arrested and allowed to return home with her daughter.

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“She and her daughter thank the officers for the way they had dealt with the incident. We understand that this is an emotional and difficult situation for all those involved.

“We sympathise with all families who are in this position and will continue to provide whatever support we can to both parties.”