A retired nurse has been arrested for trying to take her 97-year-old mother out of a nursing care home before lockdown.
Ylenia Angeli, 73, was arrested by police after forcing her way into the home and removing her mother, Tina Thornborough, who she had not seen for nine months because of the pandemic.
In a distressing video posted online, Angeli can be seen being handcuffed and detained in the back of a police car in Market Weighton, East Yorkshire, while her 97-year-old mother looks on.
Humberside authorities later said they had been responding to reports of an assault and Angeli was subsequently de-arrested and allowed home. Thornborough, on the other hand, was later returned to the care home.
Angeli’s daughter, Coronation Street actress Leandra Ashton, 42, posted the video on Facebook.
“My nan, my 97-year-old nan who we have taken from her care home because we haven’t seen her for nine months and is now being taken back by force to her care home,” Ashton said. “My mother has been arrested, she is a nurse, a fully qualified nurse wishing to care for her own mother, and we have an incredible use of police time to take my 97-year-old grandmother back into her care home where she is deteriorating because we have not been able to see her for nine months.”
“Nan, I love you and will fight for you,” Ashton said.
In 2016, Ashton appeared on Coronation Street as Saskia Larson, the fiancee of Will Chatterton, played by Leon Ockenden.
“Tried to visit my 97-year-old mother today and was ARRESTED as I could no longer bear her deterioration and forced my way into the home,” Angeli said. “I was able to put my arms around my mother and tell her how much I loved her.”
“The home called the police!!! I was released eventually as the police said it was due to emotions running too high. What are we coming to?” she added. “We seriously need to fight this on all fronts! I’m 73 and was handcuffed and put into a police car and told I was to be taken to the police station.”
“This has definitely got to stop. The collateral damage to families is more than devastating. It’s totally destructive,” Angeli added. “We will continue to fight with a fierce love for all our loved ones incarcerated in ‘care’ homes.”
The incident is reported to have taken place outside the Northgate House care home on Tuesday.
It highlights the plight of families and care home residents who’ve been separated and unable to have any physical contact since the Covid-19 crisis began.
“I took my mum because I want to care for her myself. I want to be the one who feeds her, hugs her, puts my arms around her and everything else,” Angeli said. “If she’s at home with me I can see her every day and give her everything she needs. I’m a trained nurse, I had my own care home so I know what I’m doing.”
Speaking about the arrest, Angeli said: “I just thought, ‘This cannot be happening,’ it was absolutely horrible.”
Ashton had gone to the home with her mother for their final ‘window visit’.
“When I saw my nan through the glass I started crying and my mum asked if we could bring nan out so we could see her without the glass. They said no,” Ashton said. “She pushed this woman out of the way quite lightly to get to my nan so she could hug her. My mum then wheeled my nan around to see me.”
“We were outside and we just thought, ‘Let’s keep going,’ it wasn’t pre-meditated. My nan was absolutely fine, she was enjoying it all and just really, really pleased to see us,” Ashton said. “As we were working out what the hell we were going to do the police came and blocked us in.”
The Government said care home visits could take place during the new national lockdown, but only outdoors, through windows, or in personal protection equipment covered pods.