Secret note left by man, 81, leads to arrest of caretaker who allegedly tried to strangle him
An 81-year-old man left a note which led to one of the care workers at his retirement home being arrested.
The distress note was spotted by a letter carrier, and police in Florida would act to arrest the caregiver.
In the note, the man, who has requested not to be named, simply wrote 'call the police'.
It would transpire that a care worker called Denise Williams, aged 60, had allegedly become violent and tried to strangle the man.
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Prior to the alleged attack, Williams had been the man's live in caretaker for about two and a half years, being paid $2,000 a month.
Thinking how to send a message, the man left the note attached to his mailbox, where it was discovered by a letter carrier.
Speaking to LOCAL 12, the man alleged that Williams had become upset by the state of the bathroom and had tried to strangle him using both hands.
"She got on me, on top of me, started grabbing my hand that had the cell phone as I was calling the police," he told the outlet.
"I couldn't call the police because she grabbed it."
When asked if he thought that she was trying to kill him, the man replied: "No. She was just angry."
He went on to describe how Williams had allegedly taken his cell phone as well as two landline phones in the house in an apparent attempt to stop him contacting the authorities.
The man also claimed that Williams had locked his car keys in her bedroom, as well as allegedly stealing his credit card and check book before leaving.
Left with no way to contact the authorities, the man wrote the note which was then spotted by a letter carrier.
After discussing it with his supervisor, the letter carriers called the police who were then able to locate and arrest Williams.
Asked how he felt about the letter carrier's response, the man said: "I'm very very happy for that."
Williams now faces charges of elderly exploitation, battery, and tampering with a witness.
"I'm sorry for her, I really am," said the man, who is a veteran and a widower.
"Because she has no place to go right now other than where she's going after she gets out of the hospital."
Williams has been hospitalized, and a court date has been set for January 29, police have confirmed.
Kit Roberts