Caretaker in Florida Charged with Sexual Assault of 86-Year-Old Woman

A home caregiver in Sunrise, Florida, has been detained on charges of sexually assaulting an 86-year-old woman suffering from dementia and short-term memory issues, as reported by local authorities. The accused, Juan José Romero Ruiz, 39, is facing charges of sexual assault and lewd conduct against a disabled elderly person. According to a police report cited by Telemundo 51, Romero Ruiz was employed by Lovable Family Home Care, a company based in Pembroke Pines, and was hired to provide in-home care for the victim at her Sunrise residence.

The victim's grandson, who lives in Orlando, had set up a surveillance camera to monitor his grandmother's welfare. Through this footage, he uncovered the abuse and immediately informed the family and the hiring company to remove the worker from the premises, as detailed by Local 10 News. Upon reviewing earlier recordings, the family member found evidence of another incident from the previous day.

Local 10 News reported that the victim’s attorney highlighted the family’s active involvement in her care, never suspecting such an event could occur. "They didn't abandon her in a nursing home. They sought a caregiver through her insurance, never imagining the subsequent events," the attorney stated.

During a court hearing, a video taken at the victim’s residence was presented, showing Romero Ruiz committing the crime. "This behavior is unmistakably predatory," was noted in the courtroom.

The victim's attorney also mentioned that the grandson opted for a caregiver because his grandmother's condition had worsened to a point where he could no longer manage on his own. "He placed her in an apartment in Sunrise to be closer to other family members," the attorney added. However, less than two days after starting the job, Romero Ruiz was caught on video committing the abuses. "The grandson drove back to Orlando, checked his camera, and saw the individual involved in these acts. He contacted the company, they removed him from the house, and he alerted his family," the attorney elaborated.

Sunrise police apprehended Romero Ruiz at the home care company's headquarters. He is currently held without bail in Broward County Jail with an immigration detainer issued against him. Local 10 News reported that during a Thursday court session, it was revealed the accused should not have been working with vulnerable individuals, and authorities are now investigating if there are additional victims. "What concerns me is if he acted so swiftly in this case, how many others were under his care?" questioned the victim's attorney.

Sunrise authorities urge anyone who might have been a victim of Romero Ruiz or possesses relevant information to contact the Sunrise Police Department at 954-746-3499. Meanwhile, the victim remains in the care of her family.

In recent months, numerous cases of abuse, fraud, and violence have alarmed the Hispanic community in the United States, particularly in Miami and other cities in Florida and Texas. Earlier this month, a Cuban masseuse in Doral was arrested for allegedly making inappropriate touches on a 17-year-old during a massage session at the Trump National Doral. Days prior, a Miami couple was detained in Lehigh Acres, accused of abusing a 13-year-old girl they met at a church. Both face multiple charges of sexual assault and lewd conduct against minors.

Last February, domestic violence made headlines again when a man in Miami was arrested for assaulting and raping his pregnant wife, claiming his "saints" told him she had been unfaithful. Similarly, in November 2024, another Cuban was detained for sexually assaulting his partner, branding her with a knife, and subjecting her to hours of physical and psychological abuse.

Other crimes targeting the elderly have also been reported. Last month, Nilo Somoano was arrested in Miami for scamming a disabled elderly woman, seizing her home and $600,000 in savings. A few months earlier, in the previous November, another man was arrested in Florida for impersonating Elon Musk and defrauding a Texan elderly woman out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. In that same year, 2024, in October, a Cuban in Miami was arrested after brutally assaulting his elderly neighbor at a bus stop.

Yet, one of the most harrowing cases occurred in Texas at the beginning of 2025, when a Cuban couple was arrested for sexually assaulting their one-year-old daughter and recording the abuse on video. Authorities discovered the footage following a report on TikTok, leading to the arrest of both individuals.