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'WORST NIGHTMARE'
Ex-Corrie actress posts shocking video of mum being arrested for trying to remove gran, 97, from care home for lockdown
AN EX-Coronation Street actress filmed the moment her mum was ARRESTED after wheeling her 97-year-old gran from a care home before lockdown.
Ylenia Angeli, 73, had not been able to see mum Tina Thornborough for nine months before she "sprung" her from the home in Market Weighton, Yorkshire.
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But when she told staff she planned to care for her at home during lockdown, they called cops - who then HANDCUFFED Ylenia and put her in a patrol car on Tuesday.
Her daughter Leandra Ashton, 41, a former Coronation Street actress, filmed the harrowing ordeal as her gran sat helplessly in the family car.
She can be heard telling the her: “Nan, I love you and we are going to fight for you.”
In a touching exchange Leandra sobs as her mum is put in the police car, saying: “I’m not fine. It’s ridiculous, it’s my grandmother, we want to be with our grandmother.”
Mum Ylenia replies: “I love you, come here. Stay strong. Mafia, remember?”
FAMILY HEARTACHE
The heartbreaking scenes have led to calls for a review of the Government’s policy on visits to elderly people in care homes.
Ylenia's actress daughter Leandra, who played Saskia Larson in Corrie, told The Sun Online how they "sprung" her nan from the care home on the spur of the moment.
Leandra, from York, said: "The lady opened the door at which point my mother used the flowers to barge her way in.
"She was just saying, 'Don't get in the way of me and my mother, let me get to my mother'.
"She just hugged her. Which was just heartbreaking. Then she turned around to see me outside, the care home were calling the police.
We literally didn't know what the hell to do. We were like, we're on the run now with my 97-year-old nan.
Leandra
"At which point as my mum brought my nan round to have a look at me she just carried on wheeling her out, very quietly, very calmly, nobody stopped us and we just wheeled her.
"I thought, "We've sprung Nan, we have got her out, we are not going to giver her back".
"We put her in the car, my mum had one car, I had another. We obviously hadn't planned this. If we had we would have got a bit further than the garden centre.
"We literally didn't know what the hell to do. We were like, we're on the run now with my 97-year-old nan.
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"It was totally spur of the moment. My mum has talked about it throughout lockdown and I said, mum, how the hell are we supposed to do that."
Police caught up with them at a nearby garden centre, where Ylenia was arrested.
Leandra added: "They did it because my mum said, “The only way you are going to be able to take her back to the care home is if you arrest me".
“She just refused to let them take her back. So the police officer said, “Alright, I’m going to arrest you”.
“But he put the handcuffs on very loosely. He was actually very upset by the situation. It was not an easy situation for anyone."
Ylenia was dearrested then released and her mother was returned to the care home.
Leandra posted about the heartbreaking incident on Facebook, saying: “Yesterday my 73-year-old mum pushed into the care home to hug my 97-year-old Grandma who has dementia.
“She then quietly wheeled her out. My Mum, is a trained nurse and wishes to care for my Nan at home.
“We only have Power of Attorney for my Nan's finances. Not for her wellbeing.
"Before lock down we could overcome this by visiting my Nan regularly. Now we can't."
Qualified nurse Ylenia said: “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.
“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?
“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.
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.
Qualified nurse Ylenia
“Is this REALLY happening? Unfortunately it is. And its only going to get worse.”
She added: “My daughter hadn't realised she was still filming when I was put into the police car and her distress is reflected in the car window. She was distraught!
“This has definitely got to stop. The collateral damage to families is more than devastating. It's totally destructive.
"Feel sick to my stomach and couldn't sleep last night. My daughter is the same but we will continue to fight with a fierce love for all our loved ones incarcerated in 'care' homes.”
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KAFKA-ESQUE NIGHTMARE
Leandra added: “My Mum was arrested because she refused to take my Nan back to the care home.
“It feels like we are living in the worst Kafka-esque nightmare. People in masks coming to take your relative away from you.
“I find myself for the first time in my life on the wrong side of the law.
“I have tried to go through all the 'official channels' - written countless letters to MPs, Public Health, the Care home…
When your voice feels lost in a labyrinth of bureaucracy we have to stand up and reform it
Actress daughter Leandra
“I have signed petitions, spoken to social workers, we raised a 'safe-guarding' concern at the beginning of lockdown due to my Nan's clear deterioration but this was inexplicably dropped and 'disappeared'.
“When she became ill at the care home and was admitted to hospital we asked that she not go back.
"Yet she was discharged from hospital behind our backs and without our consent.
“When your voice feels lost in a labyrinth of bureaucracy, when you are informed by the police that you are not on your relative's relevant paper work(!!), when the system is so clearly failing, we have to stand up and reform it.
“The police were as kind as they could be, they had a hard job. I thank them for trying their best and de-arresting my Mum so we could go home together.
“The issues are with the 'guidelines' and with so much fear preventing creative problem solving. Relatives need to be given key-worker status.
“They need to be allowed into their relative's private bedroom to visit, feed and care for their loved ones.
“It is my hope that if enough of us live from our hearts, act from our hearts and speak our truth fearlessly from our hearts, this inhumane situation will come to an end.”
Visits can only take place outdoors, through windows or in personal protect equipment covered pods during lockdown.
After Tuesday's incident, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Noble, from Humberside Police, said: “We responded to a report of an assault at a care home in Market Weighton in East Yorkshire at 11.15am yesterday.
“The care home had also reported that a woman who they were legally responsible for had been taken from the home by her daughter.
“Officers found both women along with a third woman nearby and informed them that they would need to return the lady to the home, as is their legal duty to do so.
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“The officer in attendance had to ensure that that everyone was safe and in particular the 93 year old lady who was frail and vulnerable and so made the decision to briefly restrain the 73 year old woman until the situation was calm and under control.
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“Officers then returned the elderly lady to the home.”
He added that Ylenia was then “immediately unrestrained, de-arrested and allowed to return home with her daughter”.
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