Office of the Attorney General
Three Former Madison County Caregivers Indicted for Abuse of Mentally Disabled Victim

Attorney General Jack Conway today announced the indictments of three former Madison County caregivers in the abuse of a mentally disabled man at Independent Opportunities, Inc. in Richmond, Ky..

A Madison County grand jury charged 62-year-old Patsy Jackson, of Mt. Sterling, with reckless abuse of a vulnerable adult under KRS 209.990(4), a Class A misdemeanor, for an incident that occurred on September 21, 2009.  It is alleged that Jackson abused a mentally challenged victim by slapping him in the face.  Jackson’s indictment was returned on September 15, 2010. 

The grand jury returned two more indictments on September 22, 2010 against Hosea Farris and Verna Campbell.  Farris was indicted for criminal attempt to knowingly abuse an adult under KRS 209.990(2), a Class A misdemeanor.  In that case, it is alleged that Farris both slapped and pulled the hair of the same mentally challenged victim during an incident occurring on September 22, 2009. 

Campbell was indicted for knowingly abusing a vulnerable adult under KRS 209.990(2), a Class C felony.  Campbell is alleged to have abused the same mentally challenged victim by pushing him into the shower, subjecting him to hot and cold shower temperatures, spraying him in the mouth and nose with water, forcing him onto a changing table, and raking her shoes across his bare feet causing red marks on his arms and feet.

A summons was issued for Jackson, who previously had not been charged.  She is required to appear in Madison District Court on October 4, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.  Campbell’s bond is $5,000, which has been posted, and she is scheduled to appear in Madison Circuit Court on October 14, 2010 at 11:30 a.m.  Farris’ date has yet to be set.

Investigators from Attorney General Conway’s Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Control investigated all three cases.

A charge is an allegation only.  All defendants are innocent until proven guilty.