Area residents said Friday they are saddened, shocked and still trying to understand what might have happened in the case of alleged abuse at Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea earlier this year.

“I’m just trying to digest it,” said Bob Haskins, a lifetime resident of Albert Lea. “It’s my town, and it’s hard to believe.”

On Monday, Albert Lea High School graduates Brianna Broitzman, 19, and Ashton Larson, 18, were charged in Freeborn County District Court with more than 10 counts each, for allegations including criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult and assault in the fifth degree at the nursing home.

Four other juveniles were also charged for mandated failure to report the suspected abuse. The teenagers are all now adults.

The alleged abuse took place between January and May earlier this year.

Details of the allegations surfaced after the release of a Minnesota Department of Health report in August that concluded four teenagers were involved in verbal, sexual and emotional abuse of 15 residents at the nursing home. The residents suffered from mental degradation conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Since the release of the charges, the news has spread quickly — across the country to national media outlets and even outside of the country.

Haskins said he doesn’t like to think about the case, but he questions whether people should be angry with the teenagers or pity them.

“How can you start throwing rocks until you know what’s going on?” he asked.

Many people are also saying they are upset at the negative attention this case is bringing to Albert Lea.

“If we want to get national attention, that’s not the way to get it,” Haskins said.

Jay Maher of Emmons said he’s surprised the case is getting such national coverage.

“The whole thing is pretty despicable when you read some of the details about what may or may not have happened,” Maher said.

He questions if this had happened to a person of color — such as someone who was black or Hispanic — or to a person who was older would that person be looking at a life term in prison.

“I think that’s not very fair,” he said. “I think they’re going to get different treatment because of how young they are and who they are.”

Maher said his grandmother was living at the Good Samaritan Society at the time of the alleged abuse — not in the Alzheimer’s unit — and he’s just grateful she was not one of the residents who could have potentially been involved with the case.

Grace Griffith of Albert Lea said she knows people who work at Good Samaritan Society, and she knows what a challenging job they can have. They have such an opportunity to do good and take care of residents. It’s awful that this could have happened, she said.

“I hope it’s limited to that case,” Griffith said. “It’s a very, very sad situation.”

Gary Stang of Clarks Grove called the situation a “terrible” one.

“I felt so sorry for those people,” Stang said. “They have enough to deal with.”

Assuming the charges are proven in the legal system, he said he hopes Broitzman and Larson are brought to justice and that the teenagers who were minors should be tried as adults.

“It’s just inexcusable,” he said.

Angela Thompson, who has lived in Albert Lea now for 10 years, said some of her relatives in Kentucky have contacted her about the case.

“It’s awful to have Albert Lea put on the map with that kind of publicity,” Thompson said. “We like to be thought of as a good town.”

She said she thinks those involved should be held accountable for their actions.

Though she does not have any relatives in nursing homes, she does have a few fellow parishioners in area nursing homes, she said.

“You worry about them,” Thompson said. “You don’t want things like that to happen, even if they’re not your relatives.”

Others interviewed say they are still confused as to how something like this could have even potentially happened.

“I don’t understand why management out there didn’t know about this from other employees,” said Don Richtsmeier, of Hollandale. “It’s a sad, sad thing. I hope management in the future will have a closer relationship with their employees so they know what’s going on.”

Henry Blohm of Kiester asked where the parents were for the teenagers involved and said he doesn’t know what the solution is for the case.

“I have six daughters,” Blohm said. “If they did anything like that, they’d be in big trouble.”

Broitzman and Larson will appear in court Jan. 21 to answer to the charges.

They face one year in jail and a payment of a fine of not more than $3,000 for each of the fifth-degree assault counts; not more than one year in jail and/or a $3,000 fine for each of the criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult counts; one year in jail and a $3,000 fine for each of the disorderly conduct counts; and 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for the mandated failure to report counts.

Court papers filed with the charges Monday stated that the two teenagers spit water on residents, poked residents in the breasts, antagonized residents and tried to arouse residents by inappropriately touching them in the genitals, among other actions.