Resident robbed at Louisburg nursing home

Police said two women entered Louisburg Manor unchallenged on Friday and took two rings from Doris Evans, 90, telling her she needed to remove them for an X-ray. 

"I'm scared ... and my mom's worried," said Bonnie Hudgins, whose grandmother shares a room with Evans.

According to nursing home employees, the women visited Louisburg Manor and Louisburg Nursing Center around lunchtime on Friday and were seen talking to residents. The facilities are both located on Smoke Tree Way and run by TRC of Louisburg, Inc.

Employees provided detailed descriptions of the two women to police. The first is described as a light-skinned black woman about 5 feet 6 inches tall and 250 pounds with her hair pulled back. She was wearing glasses, a black jacket and a pink sweater, according Cheryl Vermilyea, administrator of the center.

Social worker Melissa Day, who works at both locations, described a second woman as short, skinny and appearing to have the facial droop that accompanies a stroke. That woman was wearing a black jacket and a striped hat, Day said.

"This is very dangerous," Hudgins said. "Anybody can walk in at any time. The nurse's station is down the hall, so there are some residents' rooms that you can get to that you never even have to go by a nurse's station."

Vermilyea pointed out that facility staff immediately reported the incident to police and changed the rules so that only people known to residents can visit.

"We are cooperating fully with their ongoing investigation. Additionally, we took the initiative to notify other health care facilities in the area of any potential risk to their residents," she said.

"The safety of our residents is paramount," Vermilyea said. "The facility takes any incident that potentially threatens their well-being very seriously."

Hudgins is not satisfied. 

"I think it should be governed that they should have some sort of security getting in, a touchpad where you have to put in a code to get in," she said.