East Hartford Group Home Accused of Torturing Patient

There is new fallout from an abuse scandal at an East Hartford group home.  A disabled patient has field a lawsuit claiming he was tortured.

“This company has no business dealing with our most fragile citizens,” attorney Kevin Ferry said.

The lawsuit was filed against Options Unlimited, which runs the group home on King Street, where Kevin Ferry's severely disabled client was allegedly tortured.

“What they did to him is incredible,” Ferry said.

He released photos that showed marks on the patient’s body.  Ferry said the staff repeatedly burned him with a lighter to control his behavior in September 2011. 

The lawsuit also claims employees sexually assaulted him and grabbed and squeezed his genitals.

“I thought I’ve heard and seen it all, but no, I’ve never seen or heard of anything like this,” Ferry said.

Ferry said workers at the group home recorded his client getting abused, but it was unclear how many times this might have happened.

“Maybe it was for some sick twisted fun they wanted to have,” Ferry said.

Police believe several patients were abused at the group home. In one instance, a disabled woman was kicked in the stomach and dragged by the hair, police said. The incident was caught on video. 

Authorities arrested three workers so far. Stephanie Jones, the now-former assistant manager, and ex-employees, Angelica Rivera and Jevaun Phillips.  

“The worst possible thing that could happen to someone with these particular issues,” Ferry said.

Ferry wants the company in charge of the group home to be held accountable.  

“A company like that doesn’t deserve to be in business,” Ferry said.

NBC Connecticut reached out to Options Unlimited for a comment on the lawsuit. 

The director of the company referred NBC Connecticut to a lawyer and he did not return phone calls as of Thursday night.

 

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