Elderly Patient Severely Injured In Alleged Abuse By Caretaker, Police Say
SMITHFIELD – A former employee at an assisted living facility in Smithfield has been arrested and charged after allegedly causing serious injuries to an elderly resident under her care.
Tameka Andrea Jeffries, 38, of Revell Road in Selma, was taken into custody by Smithfield Police on August 24. She faces charges of felony patient abuse and felony assault on an individual with a disability, authorities confirmed.
According to investigators, the incident occurred on July 24, 2025, at The Landings of Smithfield, located at 200 Kellie Drive. Police allege that Jeffries, then employed as a caretaker at the facility, pushed an 88-year-old dementia patient, causing the woman to fall and suffer a broken hip. The injury required surgery and an extended hospital stay.
Officials at The Landings of Smithfield reported the incident to police, prompting a criminal investigation. Following the inquiry, Jeffries was arrested and terminated from her position at the facility.
Smithfield Police said the victim was particularly vulnerable due to her age and medical condition.
Jeffries was released from custody by a magistrate on a $20,000 unsecured bond shortly after her arrest.
We reached out to the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) which oversees adult care facilities across the state. In an email they stated, “We cannot comment on possible or ongoing investigations.”
According to the NCDHHS website, The Landings of Smithfield is currently rated a one Star facility out of rating from zero to four.
On June 10, 2025, The Landings of Smithfield was fined $2,000 by the NCDHHS over personal care and supervision violations. On July 8, 2025 the facility appealed the findings.
We reached out to The Landings of Smithfield on August 25 for a comment. As of the publication of this article on August 27 they have not replied to our request for a statement.
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25 Comments
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$20,000 unsecured bond? Who was the magistrate? That’s an insult to the victim who was severely injured?
Y’all be so quick to judge before knowing the truth she would never hurt them people one of the ones that actually loved her job so before u open you’re mouth get facts
@Jason. Listen Troglodyte, they have this *** on CAMERA intentionally knocking this 88 year-old dementia patient onto the floor over something she allegedly said. You can vociferously protest all you want but she did this and you’re a *** for supporting her.
And Chuck Norris support these nuts I know her and seen her interact with elderly so kill that noise innocent until proven guilty so you can kiss my *** until she is found guilty you shouldn’t throw stones at anybody
Here we again speculating without the facts Chuck. Were you there during the alleged time of incident ? I don’t think so, you don’t know what evidence they have all you know is what this article says.
@jason and anonymous: I really don’t care about your feelings and I darn sure don’t care about a person who is paid to take care of elderly folks, but instead chooses to abuse them. Maybe you two idiots should consider the fact that I am a cop and I’ve actually been exposed to the evidence in this case, not just what is written in this piece. Wow, I know, your mind is blown as is your stupid defense of this useless abuser. ***.
Don’t judge a book by its cover but she looks like she could be mean as h*ll
If you don’t know what really happen shouldn’t open you’re mouth to speak on sh*t ignorant y’all run with the first thing you see she never touched the lady loved working there but everybody that knows her know she never would do that loved her job too much so don’t speak on sh*t
This place is fairly new. Alteady haimg complaints about the staff. This pos should never work with the elderly again. I hope the lady”s family sues this pos. She probably has nothing to get but whatever she gets in the future as money…she should have to pay the elderly lady’s medical bills. Karma girl karma. I pray for this elderly lady that ahe will recover quickly.
Ms Jeffries, woman to woman. I clearly do not want to judge you. That’s not my place…our God does a fine job of that. However, I’d like to say there is no excuse ever to push, assault, harm an 88 year old person EVER especially a person with dementia because they have no/little control over their thoughts and behaviors. See, Ms Jeffries, that’s where you come in. An establishment employed you I’m quite sure believing that you were honest, caring, and had a special place in your heart to take care of the elderly and the sick. I’m sure this elderly client loved you in the way they knew how which isn’t always the way we think they should. They have a disease that limits clear cognitive thinking but I’m sure your face was a familiarity to this patient daily and no matter what you believe or felt, this patient probably looked forward to seeing you daily and trusting you to meet their needs. Did you have a bad day? Are you overworked, tired, overwelmed? Do you feel under appreciated by your employer? Is your home life stressful? Are you caring a deep hurt no one knows about? Yes, all these things are important because you, too, need self care BUT your patient is not there to take care of you. You are there to take care of them. Imagine living your entire life doing the things you dreamed of, visiting friends and family, cooking your own meals, maintaining your own home then suddenly you can’t even make your own sound decisions anymore and what used to be a home full of memories, furniture, keepsakes are now reduced to a semi private room a little larger than a walk in closet. I haven’t experienced it yet personally but any single one of us could at any moment and I’m sure it’s quite depressing and traumatic. God gives second chances but mankind isn’t always so forgiving. Take time to own what you did, ask for forgiveness for yourself and maybe one day when appropriate you could possibly look into your heart and apologize to your patient that looked up to you and to you for love and support. I know this comment is long and some may not even understand what I’m saying here…in the end all I’m saying is every single one of us are one possible personal or medical issue from being in the same place or cognitive position your patient was in. Make a decision today, starting now, to respect yourself and others. Never find yourself so undisciplined that pushing an 88 year old is a solution because clearly it’s not. I’ll be praying for you and also for this patient.
Y’all so quick to get up here and bash somebody and don’t know what really happen if she would’ve hurt any of them they wouldn’t of been saying they would fight for her to keep her job so know the story before you judge but that’s just how slow some of you people are just run with the first narritive
I’m fully aware that people will speculate anything without having the facts. This post is a call to remember the principle of innocence before proven guilty. It’s disheartening to see articles that present only one side of a story, allowing the public to form unwarranted perceptions and biases without knowing the full truth. I encourage you to keep in mind that every story has multiple sides. There are countless instances where the accused were ultimately found not guilty, yet their reputations were damaged because the complete narrative wasn’t revealed in time. Articles like this often cast shadows over lives before the truth can shine through. Before passing judgment, consider whether someone truly deserves condemnation. Just as easily as it could happen to them, it could be you next. Let’s approach these situations with compassion and understanding.
Unsecured Bond? This is unacceptable. If the magistrate who set this bond and unsecured at that, has no more care for a human life, the magistrate should reassign or be fired. As a retired law enforcement from an agency in Johnston Co., this is not right. You are a part of the problem of why crime and violence are so bad.
@Jason – You are so quick to never use any punctuation and wanted us to take you seriously with those run-on sentences! The lack of proper English is loud with this one. Get educated!
**** you keep talking bout camera footage but from my understanding their is no cameras in the facility and why y’all so quick to try to bash someone when you wasn’t there all I’m saying innocent until proven guilty and until its camera footage showing her pushing someone I **** bout what you talking bout now let that sink in
Says the person who name is “guilty and uneducated” need I say more.
Lol…I’m calling her “guilty” and now calling you both, “uneducated”. Idiot.
No, no one should judge anyone… but when there is video footage?? How do you explain that? I’m sure the victim didn’t just throw herself or push herself to get hurt. Everybody is so scared to see the facts and state the facts that it clouds common sense and blatant footage.
Anyone can be capable of ANYthing… No one knows anyone that well to know whether someone could snap or not….
No one would have ever thought that some parents in the news today would EVER be responsible for their “missing” child either but then the truth comes out… and here we are!
Until camera footage come out yeah but y’all already judging and don’t know the facts and then when the truth comes out get hush mouth I’m done with it but no one can judge nobody off hear say it clearly says allegedly but have a nice day
At the end of the day everyone have their own opinion I get that but it’s always 2 sides to a story and until she is proven guilty for what she is allegedly being accused of I’m standing on what I said and how I feel and really done with this not worth the energy just be mindful and don’t be so quick to judge especially if you want there no more post not worth it
Glad wasn’t a family member of mine .
I’ve been knowing Tameka for over 20 years . Everytime you see her she is smiling so nice and polite. Welling to help anyone that she can ! Even helping the elderly in the neighborhood very often. This is totally out of character for her! I hope and pray for her and the elderly person that was hurt. I worked in health care for many years myself and patients with cognitive impairments can be abusive and strong also.
Chuck u slow as **** if u had more than what the article say you would’ve been said it but you don’t and who give a **** bout you being a cop that don’t hold no weight you put you’re pants on like I do not gonna keep going back and forth with you still stand on what I said innocent until proven guilty really don’t give a **** bout nothing you or anyone else say just don’t judge nobody until you know for a fact
@ Chuck, you’re the idiot that would expose himself as having being “exposed” to evidence to a case you’re not even tied to, you’re not even the investigating officer on this case. You’re mentioning that your cop, as if we really give **. That’s partially part of the problem with our officers in the community now most of them that we encounter are a**holes anyway and believe because they have a badge that it gives validation for cops like yourself to say, do and treat people however you want without consequence.
Disgusting inhumane individual. Karma … God gets em in the end