Diamond Johnson, a hardworking, compassionate CNA, is facing charges of negligent homicide after a tragic accident involving a Hoyer lift. She was allegedly working alone that day, even though a Hoyer lift is a two-person job.

If this was the case then this wasn’t neglect, it was the result of an overworked, understaffed system that pushes caregivers to their limits. This is something that happens all too often in a field where compassion and empathy drive most. Let’s stand together for Diamond, and for every healthcare worker forced to do the impossible.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are the backbone and heart of patient care — yet too often, we are placed in unsafe, impossible situations and left to take the fall when tragedy strikes.

Diamond Johnson, a CNA and dedicated caregiver, now faces negligent homicide charges after a patient fell from a Hoyer lift — a device that is meant to be operated by two trained staff members. Accorrding to sources, Diamond was allegedly working alone at the time.

This isn’t just Diamond’s story. It’s the story of countless healthcare workers forced to make do with too few hands, too little support, and too much responsibility.

First and foremost, our hearts go out to the patient who lost their life and to their family who is grieving this devastating loss. Every life entrusted to our care is precious, and no CNA ever takes that responsibility lightly. This tragedy should never have happened, not to the patient, not to their loved ones, and not to Diamond. It is a heartbreaking reminder of why safety and staffing in healthcare are not optional — they are essential.

We, the undersigned, are heartbroken and outraged by the situation facing Diamond Johnson, a Certified Nursing Assistant with a proven record of compassion, professionalism, and dedication to her patients.

This tragedy is not a reflection of negligence.

It’s a reflection of systemic neglect — by healthcare facilities that consistently understaff shifts, ignore safety protocols, and then turn around to criminalize the very people they overwork and underpay.

We stand with Diamond, and we demand:

1. Accountability from facilities that fail to provide adequate staffing and training for patient lifts and transfers.

2. Protection for CNAs and frontline workers from criminal charges when systemic conditions lead to unavoidable accidents due to staffing or policies that are overlooked by facilities just to keep the doors open.

3. Legislative action requiring strict staffing ratios and enforcement of two-person policies for equipment like Hoyer lifts.

4. Fair pay, respect, and safety for CNAs who perform some of the hardest, most vital work in healthcare.

“I’ve had the honor of working alongside Diamond Johnson, and I can personally attest to her kindness, patience, and dedication to every person under her care. She treated her patients with dignity and compassion — the way we’d all want our loved ones to be treated.

No one who has worked in this field can deny how challenging and understaffed our days can be. We are often placed in unsafe situations that go against policy, yet we push through because we care deeply about our patients.

Diamond doesn't deserve this and neither do the countless other CNAs who are being failed by a system that demands perfection but refuses to provide support. I’m standing with her, and I ask you to do the same.”

💔 For the patient who lost their life — may their memory inspire change.

🩺 For Diamond Johnson — may justice and understanding prevail.

✊🏾 For CNAs everywhere — may safety and respect finally become the standard.

#JusticeForDiamondJohnson #ProtectCNAs

#HealthcareReformNow