On January, 30, 2011, WJXT News in Jacksonville, Florida, reported that a fifth person was arrested in connection with abuse of a 17-year-old developmentally disabled girl at a group home in Palatka. Police stated part of that abuse at the O'Carroll Homes included burning the 17-year-old girl on her legs and ankles with a clothes iron.
Disabled Girl Abused
A 17 year old girl was repeatedly tortured at the O’Carroll Homes in Palatka, Florida. Police said that on January 28, 2011, Kavarus Bellamy, an employee at the group home turned herself in. According to police, she intentionally burned the girl’s legs and ankles with a clothes iron on January 3.
Police investigators said another employee, Jolissia Battles, sprayed a chemical in the girl's face, and Devin Wesley, a former employee and visitor to the facility, held the girl while she was burned.
Two other staff members, Yolanda Miller and Jamon Davis, were in the facility at the time of the abuse and were aware of what was happening but did nothing to stop it or report it.
A thorough investigation showed that on January 3, 2011, four workers at the group home and a former employee pinned down the 17 year old and used a clothes iron to burn her ten times. They also sprayed chemicals in her face as she was being burned.
The 17 year old girl, Mariah, is unable to speak and has the mind of a 2 or 3 year old.
Bellamy is charged with aggravated child abuse, obstructing justice as well as numerous other charges. Wesley was charged with child abuse, false imprisonment and tampering with a witness. Battles was charged with child abuse and failure to protect a child. Miller and Davis were charged with failure to protect a child and failure to report child abuse.
Abuse of the Disabled
There are many cases of individuals in trusted positions who are abusing disabled people. The full extent of the problem of abuse toward adults and children with disabilities is not understood because this type of abuse is grossly under reported and not easily addressed.
Earlier this month authorities in Los Angeles, California identified two of several suspects in the sexual assaults of a profoundly disabled woman. As many as ten men may be involved in the sex assaults of a woman in a care facility. One of the suspects, Bert Hicks, was a worker at the Los Angeles facility and had already been prosecuted by police for two felony sex counts and two abuse counts.
Police urge everyone, if there is even the mere suspicion of any form of abuse toward a disabled individual to immediately report it to police.
Sources:
WJXT News, January 30, 2011. 5th Arrest in Abuse of Disabled Child
MSNBC , January 7, 2011. 2 Men ID’ed in Videotaped Assaults of Disabled Woman.
Karen Stephenson - Karen has written for several newspapers and print media in addition to many online publications. She holds a B.A. in English and an ...
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