Jaden Hayden is a Michigan man who was arrested and charged with assaulting a nursing home patient in Detroit after he was linked to a viral video through social media postings. The incident occurred on May 15 at the Westwood Nursing Center located on the 16850 block of Schaefer Highway, according to a police report obtained by Heavy. Hayden was a patient at the nursing home as well.
The 20-year-old Hayden is from Ypsilanti, west of Detroit. He was arrested on the afternoon of May 21 and placed in custody at the Detroit Detention Center, officials told Heavy. His bond was set at $300,000 cash.
Detroit Police spokesman James Craig said in a statement, “What our investigation has revealed so far is that the nursing home was unaware of the assault, until they saw the video. We’re still investigating that aspect of the case, but there is a suspect in custody.”
Police say Hayden recorded himself repeatedly punching 75-year-old Norman Bledsoe in a bedroom they shared at the Westwood Nursing Center, and it went viral on social media nearly a week later. Once the video went viral, the Detroit Police Department was notified and Hayden was arrested. Bledsoe was taken to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to the police report.
Hayden is facing multiple charges, including two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and larceny in a building. The police also accused Hayden of stealing Bledsoe’s credit cards and he faces two counts of financial transaction device – steal/retain without consent.
Here’s what you need to know about Jaden Hayden:
1. Hayden Recorded Himself Beating the Man & It Went Viral on Social Media After the Video Was Posted on His Social Media, According to the Report
Police say Hayden posted a video of him beating Bledoe on social media. The video went viral and one of the people to share the video was actor James Woods. Since sharing it on May 21, his post has been viewed over 3 million times, retweeted almost 30,000 times and commented on over 10,000 times.
In the video, a man, identified as Hayden, repeatedly punches the victim in the head while the victim is face down on a bed. At one point, the attacker pulls the man off the bed, grabs his camera and shows the victim’s bleeding face. He then repeatedly says to the man “get the f**k off my bed.” The video ends with the attacker using a sheet to wipe the man’s blood off his face.
2. Hayden Was Arrested After the Detroit Police Department Was Notified of the Video
Thank you to everyone for your assistance in bringing the senior home incident to our attention. The @detroitpolice is investigating the situation, and an arrest has been made. Thank you again. #ProtectAndServe #OurCommunity
When the video went viral, social media users reached out to the Ann Arbor Police Department to investigate the incident. The department took the information to the Detroit Police Department.
On May 21, the Detroit Police Department tweeted, “Thank you to everyone for your assistance in bringing the senior home incident to our attention. The @detroitpolice is investigating the situation, and an arrest has been made. Thank you again.”
Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Hayden, and she said in a statement “The alleged actions of this defendant are truly and uniquely disturbing. We must be able to trust our loved ones in specialty care facilities. I truly hope that the facts of this case are one of a kind.”
It is not clear when Hayden is scheduled to appear in court. It is also not known if he has hired or been appointed an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Hayden’s name has been misspelled in some reports as Jaydon Haydon, Jadon Haydon or Jaydon Hayden.
3. Hayden Was Not a Long-Term Resident at the Westwood Nursing Center
Detroit Police DepartmentJaden Hayden Mugshot
A law firm representing the Westwood Nursing Center sent a statement to Click on Detroit. The statement indicated that Hayden was not a long-term resident at the nursing home. Hayden was admitted to the nursing home to undergo rehabilitation and recovery on a temporary basis. It is not clear what rehabilitation and recovery Hayden was admitted for.
According to the media outlet, the law firm said in the statement, “Westwood has been cooperating with the police and will continue to do so. The safety, health, and well-being of our residents remains a top priority of Westwood. We will continue to monitor the situation.”
The Westwood Nursing Center offers physical, occupational and speech therapy. The nursing center is licensed by the state of Michigan, however the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) clarified that it is not a department facility. In a statement to Click on Detroit, the department said they are “deeply disturbed” by the video and the MDHHS Adult Protective Services assisted in the investigation by collecting information on the suspect.
4. A May 21 Tweet By Donald Trump Was Presumed By Many to Be About the Video
Is this even possible to believe? Can this be for real? Where is this nursing home, how is the victim doing?
On the evening of May 21, President Donald Trump tweeted, “Is this even possible to believe? Can this be for real? Where is this nursing home, how is the victim doing?”
Although it has not been verified that Trump was speaking about the viral video, many Americans interpreted it that way.
A Twitter user responded to the President’s tweet, “The nursing home is in Michigan @realDonaldTrump and things like this are happening in Pennsylvania and New York as well. Please do something about it! Elder abuse is horrifying!”
Another person replied to Trump, “I posted it early this morning and it broke my heart, thank God it got enough media attention today that I believe the guy got arrested?”
5. Hayden Is a Boxing Fan Who Has Been Linked to Multiple Boxing Gyms
After the video went viral, Hayden was linked to the A-Square Fight Club boxing gym in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The gym posted a statement on its website:
It has come to our attention that someone who claims they are a member of this gym is in the news for some violence. Jaydon IS NOT a member. He has not been to our gym in about 2 years and when there, he would do drop-in visits. Despite what is being circulated on social media, he is NOT a member.
Hayden was also linked to the Norwayne Boxing Gym in Westland, Michigan. In a statement on its website, the gym said:
We are grateful for concerned citizens who reached out to us within the last 24 hours about the YouTube video posting. Please know the issue is in the hands of The Westland Police Department and although this youth is not a current member at our gym, we will assist the authorities fully in their investigation.
Both gyms made it clear that they do not condone the behavior depicted in Hayden’s video.
A day after the incident occurred, Hayden posted a video on YouTube of himself talking about boxing. The video appears to be recorded in the same room as where the viral video took place.
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