OKEECHOBEE — A local nurse was sentenced to 18 months probation after entering a no contest plea to a charge of battery on a person 65 or older.

Linda Brown, 63, was arrested in February 2020 after a co-worker reported the abuse of a patient.

Okeechobee City Police Officer Luis Rojas responded to the facility, where the women worked and was shown a video depicting what management described as rough treatment of a patient.

Rojas noted the video shows Brown grabbing the victim and pushing her down the hallway. Moments later, while she is still being pushed, the patient falls.

Brown is then seen picking her up and taking her into a room. After they entered the room, coworkers reported hearing the patient yell, “Stop it!” and “Leave me alone!” A co-worker walked into the room and found Brown sitting on top of the patient. The victim is mentally incapacitated and was unable to give a statement but a physical exam revealed bruises on her arms from where she was grabbed. There was also redness on her arms from when she fell in the hallway.

A condition of probation is that Brown must complete anger management classes.