A 22-year-old home care worker from Syria has been charged in Sweden after authorities say he abused and mistreated more than a dozen elderly patients.
Abdulrahman Al Khleef Almasalmeh, who arrived in Sweden as a refugee in 2015, is accused of carrying out repeated acts of abuse while employed by a home care service in Sweden. According to a report by Swedish outlet Samnytt, at least 15 complaints were filed against him, including incidents involving patients as old as 99.
Almasalmeh was accused of physical and verbal mistreatment, as well as degrading behavior. In several cases, the incidents were recorded on the suspect’s phone and later uncovered during a separate investigation
One incident involved a 92-year-old woman who was subjected to intimidation and verbal abuse. In another case, an 81-year-old man was allegedly mistreated in the shower and exposed to extreme temperatures. Authorities say Almasalmeh repeatedly insulted victims in Arabic during the encounters
“You whore! I swear I’m going to curse you!!” he said in one incident to an elderly woman, adding, “Eat sh*t you whore!”
Almasalmeh has been charged with assault, harassment, and unlawful violation of privacy through filming. He has denied the allegations.
Almasalmeh was previously convicted of assault and unlawful threats, and had reportedly been involved in violence against children in central Sweden, including incidents involving physical attacks and threats with a weapon. Despite this background, he was hired to work with elderly patients.
Testimony from the investigation found he was suspended with pay in November while a police investigation was underway. Still, he was allowed to return to work in early January and remained there until his arrest.
