A nursing home worker allegedly shoved a 72-year-old Wisconsin man with such force that he flew approximately 10 feet before striking the ground, later dying from the traumatic brain injury he sustained, according to a civil lawsuit filed by his widow against Waters Edge Health & Rehabilitation Center in Kenosha.
Background
Dennis Newman was a resident at Waters Edge Health & Rehabilitation Center when, in April 2025, he allegedly became the victim of a violent altercation with a staff member. According to police measurements cited in court records reviewed by Law&Crime, Newman was pushed so forcefully that he traveled approximately 10 feet from the point of impact before landing on the ground.
The facility initially told Dennis Newman's wife, Julie Newman, something far less alarming. A nurse she did not know called her and said her husband had simply 'slightly slid off a chair to the side and bumped his head a little bit,' according to statements Julie Newman gave to local NBC affiliate WTMJ.
The situation took a dramatic turn as Julie Newman was driving to the facility to check on her husband. While en route, she received a call from the district attorney informing her that her husband had been 'severely abused' and that the worker had pushed him with such force that he flew 10 feet, matching what police investigators had determined.
Dennis Newman never recovered from his injuries. According to his wife, he suffered a traumatic brain injury that caused his health to steadily decline over the following six months until his death. 'He couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat,' Julie Newman told WTMJ.
The Investigation
Following the incident in April 2025, law enforcement investigated and the worker was charged with physical abuse of an elder person, a felony offense, based on evidence that Dennis Newman was over the age of 60 required for such charges under Wisconsin statute.
However, the criminal case against the nursing home employee collapsed earlier this year when prosecutors failed to properly provide documentation demonstrating that Dennis Newman met the age threshold. Court records indicated Newman was 72 years old at the time of his death, but the district attorney's office apparently did not introduce sufficient evidence establishing this fact during the proceedings.
"Everybody's jaw dropped," Julie Newman recounted about the moment charges were dismissed in court. "And the abuser laughed."
Julie Newman has now taken her fight to civil court. Her attorney, Kevin Demet, filed a lawsuit against Waters Edge Health & Rehabilitation Center and its operator on July 10, alleging wrongful death and negligent hiring and training practices.
"They could introduce the birth certificate; they could have introduced any witness to say that he was over age 60," Demet told WTMJ regarding the failed criminal prosecution.
The civil complaint alleges that Waters Edge failed to protect Dennis Newman despite repeated warning signs, misrepresented the circumstances of his fall, and failed to provide proper care following the incident, according to reports from Kenosha County Eye.
Attempts by media outlets to reach Waters Edge Health & Rehabilitation Center for comment have been unsuccessful. The worker involved told WTMJ that she did nothing wrong and ultimately beat the criminal case against her.
Key Takeaways
- Dennis Newman, 72, died approximately six months after allegedly being shoved by a nursing home worker at Waters Edge Health & Rehabilitation Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Police determined Newman was pushed with enough force that he traveled approximately 10 feet before landing on the ground
- The facility initially told his wife he had 'slightly slid off a chair' and only 'bumped his head a little bit'
- Criminal charges of physical abuse of an elder person were filed against the worker but dismissed when prosecutors failed to properly prove Newman was over age 60
- Julie Newman filed a civil lawsuit on July 10 alleging wrongful death and negligent hiring and training against the facility and its operator
What's Next
The civil case will proceed through Kenosha County courts where Julie Newman is seeking accountability for her husband's death. She told WTMJ she wants to hold Waters Edge accountable 'to protect the next person' who might be a victim of abuse there, adding that she hopes the lawsuit might 'get Dennis a little bit of justice.' No trial date has been set in the civil matter.