2 women arrested after video showed elder abuse, police say

Las Vegas police have arrested two women accused of elder abuse in a video posted to social media last month.

Police were sent the video on Tuesday that showed “an elderly victim and a vulnerable adult being physically abused by a caretaker” on Christmas Day at the home of 23-year-old Jakia Edwards, who was filming the video. Edwards was arrested Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement Monday.

The caretaker, 26-year-old Stephany Gilbert, was seen berating and physically abusing the victims, police said. Gilbert was “quickly identified and arrested” after police saw the video.

Police said Gilbert and Edwards were booked into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of neglect of an older or vulnerable person, abuse of an older or vulnerable person and conspire to abuse, exploit or isolate an older or vulnerable person.

Jail records show that neither was in custody as of Monday, and court records show that Gilbert was released on her own recognizance on Thursday.

“I’m really proud of the detectives on this case,” Sgt. James Johnson of the Metro’s elder abuse unit said in the statement, adding that the unit made an arrest or submitted for arrest warrants in 58 cases in 2020. “They did a phenomenal job ensuring these victims were taken care of and the suspects were taken off the streets.”

Contact Alexis Ford at aford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexisdford on Twitter.