A former Keralty Hospital employee is facing felony charges after investigators say he stole a $45,000 Rolex from a 75-year-old patient and tried to cover it up—all while on the clock.
The incident dates back to Sept. 29, 2024, when the patient was brought to Keralty Hospital in Miami-Dade’s Westchester neighborhood. As part of standard intake protocol, staff removed her jewelry—including a gold Rolex Presidential—then photographed, inventoried, and sealed everything inside a yellow envelope meant for secure storage.
But when the patient was discharged on Oct. 7, her daughter opened the envelope and realized the Rolex was gone. That discovery kicked off an internal probe, which quickly escalated into a criminal investigation.
According to police, the break in the case came from hospital surveillance video. The footage allegedly shows 46-year-old Yudier Sanchez, a hospital employee at the time, walking into the patient’s room holding jewelry. He’s then seen grabbing both a camera and the yellow envelope, moving out of frame, and appearing to slip the Rolex into his jacket before pretending to return the watch to the envelope.
Keralty Hospital suspended Sanchez for violating internal policy and notified authorities.
Detectives with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office tracked down Sanchez in mid-August 2025, months after the initial investigation began. He was taken into custody and now faces:
- Second-degree grand theft
- Exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult
Sanchez denied stealing the watch during questioning. He later appeared in court with an interpreter, where a judge set his bond at $10,000. He entered a not guilty plea and has since bonded out.
The Rolex is still missing, and police say they have no leads on its current location.
The case is sparking broader conversations about how hospitals handle patient property—especially valuables belonging to elderly or vulnerable patients. Critics say the situation highlights ongoing security issues in medical settings, including:
- Weak chain-of-custody tracking for valuables
- Limited surveillance in patient areas
- Gaps in employee vetting and oversight
- Institutional accountability when theft occurs
- Ethical responsibilities of staff with unrestricted access to patients
For now, Keralty Hospital hasn’t announced any changes to its protocols, and the criminal case against Sanchez is moving forward.
