FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.

- A South Florida employee of an assisted living facility is facing a serious charge following the death of a patient who was under his care.

Authorities took Jimmy Alexis, 43, of northwest Miami-Dade, into custody on Tuesday in connection with a June 30, 2023 incident at the Genuine Love and Care Group Home, located at 1609 NW Sixth Place in Fort Lauderdale. Its location was redacted from official documents.

Officers said they responded to the facility to conduct a death investigation after rescue crews initially were called in regard to a patient who was unresponsive.

According to Fort Lauderdale police, investigators spoke with Alexis, who told them he had to  restrain him, not choke him  in regard to the patient, who was not publicly identified by police. Officers later spoke with the owners of the facility, who said the patient was prone to self-harming himself by banging his head on  pretty much anything he could.  During their investigation, officers also spoke with a staff member who was on duty when the patient was injured and noted that she  was visibly shaken and appeared concerned talking to us.  Officers said they found that same employee waiting outside when they left, and she indicated she wanted to speak with them away from the facility.

According to official documents, that employee then told the officers that Alexis choked the patient to the point where he became unconscious, and that he did that two times during the night.

After the employee told Alexis not to choke the patient during the first incident, she told officers that she made an audio recording the second time, which she played for them, police said.

In the recording, officers said the victim could be heard moaning.

Additionally, officers asked the employee to make a controlled phone call to Alexis, and during the call, police said Alexis told her  what he is going to tell the police and advises her to say the same thing in her own words  while also cautioning her  not to say things about the logbook because police will want to get a copy  and  not to say anything 
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