An Arizona caregiver has been charged after authorities alleged he abused a nonverbal man with cerebral palsy at a group home in Phoenix by gagging him with a washcloth, tying socks around his head, and covering him with blankets. Prosecutors described the incident as a shocking case of abuse against one of society’s most vulnerable individuals.
According to court records, Mark Sampson, a certified caregiver employed at the Phoenix group home, faces one count of vulnerable adult abuse under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury. The allegations stem from an incident that reportedly occurred on March 19, although Sampson was not arrested until June 24.
Prosecutors Describe Disturbing Allegations
During Sampson’s initial court appearance, Ryan Dill, an assistant attorney general with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, outlined the details of the alleged abuse.
According to Dill, investigators found that the victim had a washcloth forced into his mouth while two socks were tied together around his head to keep the gag in place. Prosecutors said the socks were tied so tightly that they left visible red marks on the victim’s face…