Police arrest 2 women after they allegedly posted a video on social media of elder abuse on Christmas Day

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrested two women after they were alerted to a video posted to social media showing the abuse of an elderly person.Police said they obtained a video on Dec. 29 that "depicted an elderly victim and a vulnerable adult being physically abused by a caretaker."

The department's Elder Abuse Unit worked swiftly to try to identify the perpetrators and arrested two female suspects the next day.

Police arrested 26-year-old Stephany Gilbert, who they believe is the person on the video abusing the elderly victim. They also arrested 23-year-old Jakia Edwards because she allegedly recorded the abuse inside her home. Police said the alleged abuse was recorded on Christmas Day.

"Edwards could be seen in the video as she recorded Gilbert berating the victims and physically abusing them," read the statement from the police.

They were booked into the Clark County Detention Center and both were charged with Neglect, Abuse, and Conspiring to Abuse an older or vulnerable person. Sgt. James Johnson of the Elder Abuse Unit said he was proud of the detectives on the case, according to KSNV.

"They did a phenomenal job ensuring these victims were taken care of and the suspects were taken off the streets," said Johnson.

The LVMP added that the Elder Abuse Unit had made an arrest or submitted a warrant for arrest for 58 cases in 2020 alone. The National Council on Aging estimates that as many as 1 in 10 Americans age 60 years old and older have experienced some form of abuse. Another study said that only 1 in 14 cases of abuse are reported to law enforcement.