A volunteer pianist has been arrested for allegedly raping an elderly woman with mental illness

Alerts from a camera in her mother’s nursing home first raised suspicions against Camyl Anderson.

“I started getting more notifications than usual from the Ring camera in my mother’s room, and when I looked, I saw a man sitting on his bed with his shoes on like he was about to leave,” said Anderson.

Shocked, Anderson, 35, watched the video and realized that the man had been there for more than an hour. She said she called the staff at La Mirada Heights Provincial Senior Living and asked her caregivers to check on her mother, who has dementia.

“When I called the caretakers, they said she wasn’t dressed and she didn’t know what happened,” said Anderson.

So he rushed to the center and contacted the authorities.

According to Los Angeles County prosecutors, the man was Jonathan Michael Alvarado, 38, a dedicated pianist at the center.

Alvarado was arrested June 13 and charged with two counts of involuntary rape and lewd act on a dependent adult in connection with the June 10 incident, according to the criminal complaint. Prosecutors said the victim was unable to testify due to mental retardation and physical or developmental disabilities.

Since his arrest, Alvarado has posted $150,000 bail and is out of custody awaiting trial. His attorney declined to comment. On March 9, Anderson filed a lawsuit against the facility where her mother and Alvarado lived, alleging negligence, elder abuse, sexual battery and emotional distress, among other allegations.

Surveillance footage Anderson shared with The Times shows a man stripping off his clothes before attacking his mother. The family installed a camera when he entered the facility because of his diagnosis, Anderson said.

After Alvarado’s arrest, Anderson said the family went through all the footage they had taken from his mother’s room and found at least one other incident.

“It was very disturbing,” she said.

The lawsuit alleges that facility operators allowed Alvarado access to residents despite warning signs about his behavior, including concerns raised by the victim’s family. Staff failed to investigate those concerns or limit his access, ultimately allowing him to continue to interact with vulnerable residents, according to the public complaint.

“If you invite third parties onto the premises to interact with seniors, you are responsible for their behavior, their background, and who allows access to vulnerable residents,” said Dominique N. Westmoreland, Anderson’s attorney.

La Mirada Heights is marketed as an independent living community designed for older adults who can live independently while receiving voluntary support services, according to the agency. website. The community provides private housing, catered meals, housekeeping, transportation and community services, aimed at providing a “carefree” lifestyle. The center’s representative said they could not comment and referred questions to Discovery Senior Living.

“The safety and well-being of our residents are our top priorities. We are disturbed by these allegations and will fully cooperate with any criminal investigation. Because this matter involves an ongoing criminal case, and out of respect for our resident’s privacy, it is not appropriate to comment further,” said Laura Lepore, corporate and investor relations at Discovery Senior Living.

According to Anderson and her lawyers, the staff at the facility knew about her mother’s diagnosis of dementia and cognitive decline and should have taken better care of her.

“You can’t hide under the label of independent adults when you know that citizens are cognitively impaired and need to be protected,” Westmoreland said.

He said the case highlights broader concerns about safety in senior living facilities, especially for residents with mental disorders who may not be able to see or report abuse.

At first, Anderson said she had to tell deputies investigating her report that her mother had dementia to take it seriously and call detectives. A criminal case was initially filed against Alvarado on July 29, but prosecutors pushed it back for further investigation. The case was refiled and Alvarado was charged, according to Zara Lockshin, public information specialist for the LA County district attorney’s office.

Alvarado pleaded not guilty in January. The case against the institution is still pending.