Home health aide 'lost her temper,' charged in man's death, police say

A home health aide struck an 83-year-old Garden City man on the head with a wooden object on Monday, and then failed to call for medical assistance as the man bled to death, Nassau police said Wednesday.

Gail Godwin, 63, of Bay Shore, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence and endangering an incompetent person in Nassau County Criminal Court on Wednesday. Judge Lisa Petrocelli ordered Godwin held without bail and ordered her to return to court Monday.

Court papers identified the victim as John Busch and indicated he suffered from health issues.

"She just lost her temper at this point and hit him," Det. Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick, the head of the Nassau police homicide unit, said during a news conference in Mineola on Wednesday.

Godwin struck the victim with a wooden object on the head, causing multiple lacerations, according to Fitzpatrick. Busch bled profusely from the injuries, a condition exacerbated by the fact that he uses blood-thinning medication to treat a medical condition, Fitzpatrick said.

"Gail Godwin did not call for an ambulance, did not get any further medical attention for this man, and instead attempted to clean up the blood around her house caused by her assault," Fitzpatrick said. "The bleeding was not controlled and the victim died as a result of the blood loss."

Godwin called 911 several hours after the assault, according to Fitzpatrick. Busch was dead when paramedics arrived at the scene.

Godwin’s attorney, Bruce Barket of Garden City, said his client is deeply saddened by Busch’s death. Barket said Busch was ambulatory and responsive immediately after the incident and that Godwin called for help when she realized his injuries were more serious.

Barket said it was "obscene and excessive" for Petrocelli to deny Godwin bail. He said he would appeal.

Godwin has been a health home aide for 42 years, Fitzpatrick said, and cared for Busch for 18 months.