One year of active incarceration imposed on former Cumberland Hospital employee

A former employee of Cumberland Hospital in New Kent will spend a year in jail after receiving formal sentencing on one count of unlawful wounding during Monday afternoon’s proceedings in New Kent Circuit Court.

Stacey Burrell, 57, of King William, learned her fate stemming from a Sept. 14, 2019 incident at the hospital.

On Oct. 25, Burrell entered a no contest plea to an amended charge of unlawful wounding (originally malicious wounding), stipulating that evidence presented in the case would be enough to convict her of the offense. During that trial, a summary of evidence indicated that Virginia State Police began an investigation of Cumberland Hospital in New Kent. Around that time, surveillance footage showed Burrell caring for the victim at the time. The victim did not want to go to bed, resulting in Burrell taking the victim to the bathroom. About one-and-a-half minutes later, Burrell and the victim emerged from the bathroom, with the victim having red marks on their body. The victim was redressed, and the defendant completed her rounds.

Virginia State Police responded to the hospital after the allegations were made. According to the summary, Burrell made up several stories on how the victim received the mark. But the investigation showed that the hot shower was not the cause of the red marks. Burrell was indicted by a multijurisdictional grand jury in July of this year.

Burrell’s defense attorney, Paul Galanides, commented during his defendant’s trial that Burrell’s recount of events was that she had a cup of hot water and that the victim sustained it while in the bathroom. He emphasized that Burrell acknowledged that an injury had occurred, but no intent was behind it, resulting in the reduction of the charge to unlawful wounding.

During Monday afternoon’s sentencing phase, the prosecuting attorney from the state department submitted a victim impact statement from the victim’s mother. The statement read indicated that the mother was rattled beyond belief because of the failure of communication of the incident and that has let to mistrust in the hospital system. The prosecution always said that despite the injury of the underage victim, Burrell refused to do anything at that time.

Galanides responded, submitting letters of positive references on behalf of the defendant and said that the recommendation of probation by the presentence report is appropriate. He added that the sentence doesn’t minimize the seriousness of the offense.

Burrell elected to read a statement on her behalf prior to her formal sentencing.

“There has not been a moment that I have not thought about the well-being of the victim,” she said, saying how she sympathized with the situation. “I am not concerned about myself as much as my husband. I ask the court to have mercy on me.”

Judge B. Elliott Bondurant mulled over the presentence report that he read, saying that the case was unusual in nature when it came to the defendant and her qualities.

“As I read this report, it struck me of all the good things she’s done,” the judge commented. “This is not something you see from a person who committed this type of crime.

“At the same time as I read this, her background was that she was a special needs teacher,” Bondurant continued, pointing to Burrell’s years working with adolescents and people with disabilities. “She has had experience with those who have mental and physical handicaps. She knows what she could have done.”

Bondurant than turned to photographs that were submitted by the prosecution of the victim’s burn marks.

“The pictures are terrible,” he said. “I try to balance out all the good she has done, but she has the experience and background to know what to do in a situation like this. Because of that, I am deviating from the guidelines.”

Burrell received a five-year sentence with four years suspended (one year to serve).

In other circuit court proceedings:

–Angela Maire Douglas, of Quinton, had one charge of possession of a Schedule I/II drug dropped due to the unavailability of a witness. The offense allegedly took place in Feb. 2019.

–Christopher Wilson Rickman, 51, of the 200 block of Naglee Avenue, Sandston, received formal sentencing one count each of possession of a controlled substance (Fentanyl/heroin) and misdemeanor failing to obey a court judgement. Rickman failed to successfully complete the First Offender program and tested positive for cocaine and was found guilty during an Oct. 2021 trial.

Rickman received a five-year sentence with all time suspended on the possession of a controlled substance conviction. He received a 30-day sentence with 20 days suspended (10 days to serve) on the disobeying a court order conviction.

–Caressa Nicole Scott, 38, of the 100 block of Magruder Avenue, Williamsburg, entered a guilty plea to one count of breaking and entering as part of a plea deal. One charge of felony violation of pretrial services was dropped.

In a summary of evidence, on July 5, New Kent Sheriff’s Office responded to the home of Geraldine Hale on Carter Road. After speaking with Hale and her neighbor, it was discovered that Scott had entered into victim’s home without her permission. During that entry, a struggle ensued between the victim and defendant. Deputies assessed the situation and discovered that Scott was acting erratically at the time of the offense and was later arrested for entering the property.

Under the agreement, Scott received a 10-year sentence with eight years, four months suspended on the conviction (one year, eight months to serve).

–Gary Joseph Trites, 41, of the 100 block of Wilson Circle, Williamsburg, entered straight guilty pleas to one count each of unauthorized use of a vehicle, felony destruction of property, and felony violation of pretrial services. One charge of grand larceny was dropped.

In a summary of evidence, on Dec. 13, 2020, a New Kent deputy responded to the home of Heather Edwards on Cypress Drive. The victim told the officer that her vehicle had been moved without her permission. An investigation took place that also discover that substantial damage to Edward’s personal property had also occurred. Through the investigation, Edwards said that she met Trites as a mutual acquaintance. When enough evidence was found and the defendant was arrested on the charge, Trites admitted to the offense, and it was discovered that an item from the victim’s property was in his possession when he was taken into custody.

Trites received a five-year sentence with four years, nine months suspended (three months to serve) on the unauthorized use of a vehicle conviction. He will serve an additional three months on the felony pretrial violation offense. All five years on the felony destruction of property charge were suspended.

–Maurice Washington Jr., 36, of the 10000 block of Alpine Road, Providence Forge, was formally sentenced on one count of possession of a Schedule I/II substance. Washington committed the offense in 2019 and was placed in the First Offender program in Dec. 2020. He entered an alternate program as a result of the crime.

Washington received a five-year sentence with four years, 10 months suspended (two months to serve) on the conviction on possession of cocaine.