Father, son charged with neglect for allegedly removing woman from nursing home

A father and son are facing elderly neglect charges for allegedly removing a woman from a nursing and rehabilitation center and keeping her at home without medication.

James Hermann, 32, and Thomas Hermann, 67, were arrested Monday and both charged with neglecting an elderly disabled adult without great bodily harm, a third-degree felony.

Police were called to the home in Navarre, the address of which is redacted in reports, on Saturday after an unidentified person called authorities and asked them to check on the woman. It is not clear from reports what the relationship is between the woman and the Hermanns.

When Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived, they reportedly saw the home was "in terrible condition and was unsafe." Floor board were unsteady, spiders and cobwebs were along the corners and the ceiling, the kitchen sink was held up by a metal beam propped beneath it and in the room where the elderly woman was lying, fiberglass insulation was falling from the ceiling and landing near her head.

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EMS then responded to the home, according to the Hermanns' arrest report. The woman refused to go to the hospital, and authorities notified the Florida Department of Children and Families.

About 12 hours later, the initial caller again contacted police to ask for another welfare check. The caller shared additional details with authorities and told them that James Hermann allegedly went to the woman's nursing home and "threw a fit," demanding she not be treated with any medication, and then removed her from the nursing home. The report does not state when that incident allegedly happened.

When deputies again checked on the woman on Saturday, James Hermann told them DCF had already come to the house and he and Thomas Hermann planned to move the woman to another house down the road.

James Hermann allegedly told deputies the doctors don't know that they're doing and he knows better than they do. He also told authorities he doesn't have a medical degree, but doesn't need one, according to the arrest report.

The elderly woman was reportedly prescribed medication for high blood pressure, chest pain due to heart disease, cholesterol and a blood thinner. She had recently suffered from two fractures.

James Hermann told police that the woman was discharged from the nursing home, but paperwork the deputy had from the center contradicted that information, the arrest report states.

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While at the home, the deputy allegedly witnessed James Hermann sitting in a chair within arm's reach of the woman as she asked for a shirt because she was cold. The deputy reported it took some time for Hermann to help the woman, and after that, he didn't help her to put the shirt on or move to the bed as she struggled for about 15 minutes.

Thomas Hermann stayed in his room in the back of the residence most of the time police were on site, according to his arrest report. He allegedly repeatedly threatened deputies, and at one point said, "I am going to sue you until you can't see straight." 

The deputy noted the woman was very lethargic, her speech garbled and she appeared to be unaware of her surroundings while police were there.

Deputies eventually arrested both James and Thomas Hermann and took the elderly woman into care. In addition to the neglect charge, Thomas Hermann also was charged with corruption by threat of a public servant.

James and Thomas Hermann have since been released from custody, but court records do not show an attorney listed for them.

Emma Kennedy can be reached at ekennedy@pnj.com or 850-435-8680.