Judge waves jail time for abusers

Published 9:27 am Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Freeborn County District Court Judge Steve Schwab on Tuesday waived the second of three 60-day jail stints for Brianna Broitzman and Ashton Larson, the two young women convicted of abusing residents at Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea in 2008.

Schwab said both women, who served their first 60-day sentence in 2010, have been compliant with their conditions of probation and appear to be on the right track.

He reviewed the motions from the defendants and reports from probation officer Andrea Strom.

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He also asked each a single question during the hearing: “Do you now understand that what you did was wrong?”

Broitzman answered, “Yes I do, very much.”

Larson answered, “Without a doubt.”

In 2010, Schwab sentenced Broitzman and Larson, both 21, to a staggered 180-day jail sentence after each was convicted of three counts of disorderly conduct by a caregiver. Each count represented a different victim at the nursing home.

The abuse reportedly took place at Good Samaritan from January through May 2008.

Schwab warned Broitzman and Larson to keep following through with their conditions as they still have the possibility of serving another 60 days in jail — the final jail stint — later in the year.

About 10 family members of victims were in attendance to hear the outcome.