Woman charged after attacking defenseless adult in Fergus Falls

FERGUS FALLS, MINN. (Valley News Live) – An Alexandria, Minnesota, woman is facing charges after attacking a vulnerable adult in her care at a group home in Fergus Falls.

Ashley Jade Simons, 23, faces charges of fourth-degree assault on a vulnerable adult and criminal harassment by a caregiver.

On November 18, a Fergus Falls Police Officer was called to the hospital after receiving reports of a vulnerable adult being assaulted at a group home in Fergus Falls.

Court documents state that the victim’s care provider told police that video was found showing the victim being assaulted after previous suspicion of abuse. The provider registered Simons on November 17.

One video shows Simons feeding the victim before becoming upset, standing up and kicking the victim in the head twice, documents show. Another video shows Simons kicking the footrest the victim was sitting on before physically removing her from the recliner. Documents say it’s unclear whether Simons grabbed the victim’s hair or the collar area of ​​his shirt due to the camera angle, but it’s clear the victim was not helped out of the chair because both his hands and arms were in the camera’s view.

Another video shows Simons walking the victim from another room to a recliner, documents state. Simons pushed the victim into the reclining chair and yelled, “Sit Now!” “Sufficient!” Simons then struck the victim in the knee before entering the kitchen. When the victim got up from the couch and started walking towards the kitchen, Simons attacked him. The victim tried to move out of the way, but Simons yelled, “Get on the ground!” before pushing the victim to the ground. He grabbed her wrists before yelling. Simons then moved furniture in front of the front entrance of the living room where the victim was located.

Simons told officers that the victim was usually laughing and playful, but did not appear to be himself after the attack.

A Grand Forks Deputy spoke to Simons by phone and he admitted he took his frustrations out on the victim and said he shouldn’t have done that. He also told the police that nothing like this had ever happened before and that a lot of things had happened in his personal life.

Simon’s next hearing will be held on December 31.

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