Disturbing New Details In Pensacola Special Needs Abuse Case
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: April 26, 2012
Deputies arrested three people over the weekend, charged with abuse of a
disabled adult. New, disturbing details of the crime were released on
Tuesday that shows how long that abuse may have been going on.
In a video shot Saturday by a neighbor, a male voice can be heard telling someone to "put on a sign." You can also faintly hear a woman crying and moaning.
Michael Holloway, the neighbor, said, "It doesn't matter how old someone is, or anything their disability like that. You don't just treat another human being like that."
Michael Holloway's wife shot the video to prove abuse taking place. Deputies say they found the woman handcuffed, bleeding from the mouth, forced to wear this sign.
Stacey Davis, the VP of Adult Programs at United Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Florida, said, "I can't say I'm surprised that this incident occurred because the signs were always there." The victim was her client for nearly a year.
She says there were clear signs something was wrong beginning with nutrition. "They were not the type of lunch of that would fill anybody up. One slice of bread, with a clump of peanut butter and water, it just wasn't sufficient," said Davis.
Her client often said she was unhappy at home. But one day in December, Davis remembers an incident she couldn't ignore. "She came to school and she had a split earlobe and it was bleeding. One of my teachers brought it to me and we have a nurse and our nurse said she needs stitches. So it was bleeding and the nurse said someone tried to super glue it back," she said.
The woman told Davis, said her step-father ripped her earring off, and her mother superglued it back together. Davis reported it to the abuse hotline. The Department of Children and Families came to the woman's house early December to investigate.
The sheriff's department confirms they assisted with that visit. Davis doesn't know the details of what happened, but she says the mother pulled her client from UCP programs soon after.
That was the last she heard of her, until she watched and read the headlines this weekend. "I felt there should've been more extensive followup, that should've been a big red flag," said Davis.
DCF did not comment on the specifics of this case, but said their hearts go out to the young woman.
They also urge anyone who suspects abuse to call the hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE that's 1-800-962-2873.
In a video shot Saturday by a neighbor, a male voice can be heard telling someone to "put on a sign." You can also faintly hear a woman crying and moaning.
Michael Holloway, the neighbor, said, "It doesn't matter how old someone is, or anything their disability like that. You don't just treat another human being like that."
Michael Holloway's wife shot the video to prove abuse taking place. Deputies say they found the woman handcuffed, bleeding from the mouth, forced to wear this sign.
Stacey Davis, the VP of Adult Programs at United Cerebral Palsy of Northwest Florida, said, "I can't say I'm surprised that this incident occurred because the signs were always there." The victim was her client for nearly a year.
She says there were clear signs something was wrong beginning with nutrition. "They were not the type of lunch of that would fill anybody up. One slice of bread, with a clump of peanut butter and water, it just wasn't sufficient," said Davis.
Her client often said she was unhappy at home. But one day in December, Davis remembers an incident she couldn't ignore. "She came to school and she had a split earlobe and it was bleeding. One of my teachers brought it to me and we have a nurse and our nurse said she needs stitches. So it was bleeding and the nurse said someone tried to super glue it back," she said.
The woman told Davis, said her step-father ripped her earring off, and her mother superglued it back together. Davis reported it to the abuse hotline. The Department of Children and Families came to the woman's house early December to investigate.
The sheriff's department confirms they assisted with that visit. Davis doesn't know the details of what happened, but she says the mother pulled her client from UCP programs soon after.
That was the last she heard of her, until she watched and read the headlines this weekend. "I felt there should've been more extensive followup, that should've been a big red flag," said Davis.
DCF did not comment on the specifics of this case, but said their hearts go out to the young woman.
They also urge anyone who suspects abuse to call the hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE that's 1-800-962-2873.
