Care worker Lena Hakurotwi, 22, (seen outside South Derbyshire Magistrates' Court yesterday) admitted she failed to let her employer know she could not move the woman onto her bed
A care worker who left an 87-year-old woman with dementia lying on the ground for two days with just a folded-up slipper as a pillow has been spared jail.
The woman was found 'shaking and cold' on the bedroom floor of her house in Normanton and could have died there if her granddaughter had not come to check, according to a judge.
Care worker Lena Hakurotwi, 22, who worked for Nationwide Care Services at the time of the offence in December 2017, admitted she failed to let her employer know she could not move the victim onto her bed.
Peter Bettany, prosecuting, said the University of Derby student began working for Nationwide in September 2017.
She received five days training before shadowing a more experienced colleague for 20 hours before being allowed to go on her own home visits to clients alone, including the victim.
Mr Bettany said in December of that year 'it became apparent something was very wrong' with the woman.
He said: 'She was to be visited three times a day but on December 10 the client's granddaughter went to the address and found her lying on her bedroom floor between the bed and a wardrobe. She had a folded slipped as a pillow.
'She called 999. She was shaking, a paramedic arrived and said she was borderline hypothermia.'
The victim was treated in hospital. Hakurotwi was interviewed and admitted two days before she first found the client sitting on the floor with her back against a chair trying to climb into her bed.
She said on subsequent visits she ensured she had food, something to drink and was made comfortable.
Mr Bettany said: 'She was asked why she had not followed the procedures she had been taught and she said when faced with the situation she just panicked.'
Speaking to the court, the victim's daughter said she was 'relieved it's all over'.
'It has taken a very long time to get to this point,' she said. 'How the carer could have left my mum in that situation for so long fills me with rage.
'I still can't bear to think of my tiny mum lying on the cold floor overnight.
'As far as the suspended sentence goes, I still can't imagine that many people would need much
