A housekeeper in Florida has been arrested and charged for allegedly assaulting and robbing her elderly employer after being denied a $500 Christmas bonus. Heather Nelson, 29, is accused of physically assaulting the 83-year-old woman after she requested a bonus for cleaning the victim’s house on December 24, 2024, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say that after the elderly woman explained she didn’t have enough money to provide the requested bonus, Nelson became aggressive. “Nelson responded by physically wrenching the victim’s checkbook from her hand, stealing a check from the checkbook … almost breaking the wrist of the elderly victim,” police said in a statement. The housekeeper allegedly went on to write herself a stolen check for $1,400, using the elderly woman’s credit card to pay her rent and make several other unauthorized purchases, which were later discovered by investigators.
Nelson was arrested on January 7, 2025, and is facing multiple charges, including robbery, aggravated battery on a person over the age of 65, grand theft, forgery, uttering a forged instrument, criminal use of personal identification, and fraudulent use of a credit card. She was released from custody, but it is unclear if she has legal representation at this time.
Brevard County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tod Goodyear spoke to Fox 35 Orlando about the case, explaining that Nelson’s actions were driven by financial struggles. “Based on what she was using the monies for, she was in financial trouble,” Goodyear said. “Maybe she just saw this as the only way possibly out of it, but to take advantage of our elderly seniors is not what you do.”
Goodyear further emphasized the vulnerability of elderly individuals, noting that they are often targeted for fraud and exploitation. “The elderly are scammed, they are taken advantage of by other people a lot of times because they have some diminished capacity, or they’re very trusting,” he added. “They grew up in a time when people trusted each other.”
The case highlights the importance of protecting seniors from exploitation and ensuring they remain safe from harm, particularly during vulnerable moments in their lives.