Caretaker Charged with Beating Elderly Milford Man

A caretaker has been charged with beating the elderly Alzheimer's patient he was entrusted to care for in Milford, according to police.

Investigators discovered the bruised elderly patient in his home at Foxwood Master Condominium on Friday morning after receiving reports of two bizarre incidents in the parking lot there, police said.

The first complaint was a report of a man who had put a lit cigarette in the gas-fill area of a vehicle and then walked away, according to police.

The second complaint was that a man had grabbed a 67-year-old woman around the waist as she was walking in the complex -- and then ran off when she screamed, police said.

Cops found the suspect with the help of witnesses, who identified him as a caretaker for a 78-year-old Alzheimer's sufferer who lives in the complex, according to police.

After the suspect's arrest in connection with the initial complaints, cops called a relative of the elderly patient the suspect was assigned to care for -- and asked that they come to check on the senior citizen's welfare, police said.

"Upon the arrival of the relative and entering the home, they found the 78-year-old with signs of being assaulted and there was evidence of a struggle inside the home," police said.

"The 78-year-old victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment of facial injuries and wounds to his extremities," police added.

The suspect was working for an agency, which assigned him to live with the elderly man and care for him, according to police.

After his arrest, the suspect was uncooperative during an interview by investigators, police said.

The suspect, identified as James Geoma, 47, of East Haven, was charged with second-degree criminal attempt at arson, first-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree assault on an elderly person, disorderly conduct and breach of peace, according to police.

Geoma was held in lieu of $106,500 bond, police said.

Police did not identify the victim or the agency for which the suspect had worked.