A heartbreaking case of elder abuse has surfaced in Bullville, New York, where disturbing home surveillance footage allegedly shows a private home aide mistreating an 80-year-old disabled Vietnam veteran. The family of the victim is demanding justice, calling the abuse both shocking and inhumane.
Family Shocked by Abuse of Non-Verbal Veteran
Doug Powers, a non-verbal Vietnam veteran battling advanced dementia, has required 24-hour home care for years. His daughter, Tammy Powers Jollie, had placed her trust in a private aide to care for her father at their Bullville residence in Orange County.
“We had gotten comfortable thinking we were in a good spot with the aides we had,” she said. “To our surprise, he was the devil in disguise.”
The aide in question, 56-year-old Christopher Diccianni of Warwick, New York, was hired to ensure Powers received the daily support he needed. Instead, the family discovered repeated instances of neglect and abuse through their home’s Blink security system.
Disturbing Footage Sparks Outrage
According to Powers Jollie, the family began reviewing footage from March to May while trying to locate an unrelated event. What they discovered was far worse than they could have imagined.
The videos revealed a pattern of abuse, including:
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The aide verbally abusing the helpless veteran, calling him a “freakin’ idiot”
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Physically shoving Powers onto the kitchen floor
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Leaving him lying on the floor for hours without assistance
“He had a grab mark on his chest, likely from the aide’s nails,” Powers Jollie added. “His anxiety and aggression got so much worse. It’s only recently that we’ve seen signs of improvement.”
Authorities Take Action
Once the family saw the footage, they immediately contacted the Town of Crawford Police Department (CPD) to report the abuse. CPD acted swiftly, arresting Diccianni and charging him with two counts of endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person.
He has been issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to reappear in Crawford Town Court on June 16.
Powers Jollie emphasized the betrayal of trust and the trauma caused not only to her father but to the entire family. “Every video we watched just got more disturbing. No one deserves to be treated like that — especially someone who served this country.”
A Call for Accountability
Doug Powers is not only a veteran but also a retired corrections officer from Otisville. His daughter hopes that by coming forward, other families will be more vigilant when hiring in-home care.
“We trusted this man with my father’s life,” she said. “Now, we want to make sure he never does this to another family again.”
The family continues to monitor Doug’s recovery, determined to bring greater awareness to elder abuse and to push for stricter screening and oversight of private home aides.
If you suspect elder abuse in your community, contact your local authorities or Adult Protective Services immediately.
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