Miss-Delectable
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The Morning News: News : Caregiver Accused In Deaf Man's Abuse
A Siloam Springs caregiver charged with abusing a deaf and mute man appeared in Benton County Circuit Court on Monday.
Pat Pokrzywinski, 47, is charged with abuse of an adult. He was arrested June 5, 2007, and released on a felony citation after another caregiver reported injuries to police.
A status hearing is planned July 31 before Circuit Judge David Clinger.
Pokrzywinski worked more than one year as live-in caregiver for the handicapped man as an employee of Bost Inc., according to court documents.
The handicapped man was taken to a hospital in April 2007, when another caregiver noticed an injury above the man's eye and bruises and scrapes on his abdomen, back, arms and cheek. They appeared fresh, and Pokrzywinski was the only person who'd recently been around the man, police were told.
The adult man is not able to communicate and has limited eyesight.
The injuries weren't reported to Pokrzywinski's company, although that was required, police said.
The other caregiver reported the handicapped man had acted strangely during that week with Pokrzywinski, wanting to shake his hand, which is how he says "goodbye," the woman told police.
Pokrzywinski said he thought the injury above the man's eye was skin cancer, police said.
The man's mother later told police her son began losing what was left of his eyesight on the day he was taken to the hospital in April, and that both his retinas are damaged, according to court documents.
An employee at the company told police Pokrzywinski had been "a little rough with a few different clients," according to a probable cause affidavit from Benton County sheriff's investigator Chris Sparks.
A doctor also told Sparks the man's injuries were not consistent with a fall.
In a police interview, Pokrzywinski said the man may have been injured when he tripped on a curb at the park two weeks before.
According to a representative of Bost reached Monday, Pokrzywinski no longer works for the company.
A Siloam Springs caregiver charged with abusing a deaf and mute man appeared in Benton County Circuit Court on Monday.
Pat Pokrzywinski, 47, is charged with abuse of an adult. He was arrested June 5, 2007, and released on a felony citation after another caregiver reported injuries to police.
A status hearing is planned July 31 before Circuit Judge David Clinger.
Pokrzywinski worked more than one year as live-in caregiver for the handicapped man as an employee of Bost Inc., according to court documents.
The handicapped man was taken to a hospital in April 2007, when another caregiver noticed an injury above the man's eye and bruises and scrapes on his abdomen, back, arms and cheek. They appeared fresh, and Pokrzywinski was the only person who'd recently been around the man, police were told.
The adult man is not able to communicate and has limited eyesight.
The injuries weren't reported to Pokrzywinski's company, although that was required, police said.
The other caregiver reported the handicapped man had acted strangely during that week with Pokrzywinski, wanting to shake his hand, which is how he says "goodbye," the woman told police.
Pokrzywinski said he thought the injury above the man's eye was skin cancer, police said.
The man's mother later told police her son began losing what was left of his eyesight on the day he was taken to the hospital in April, and that both his retinas are damaged, according to court documents.
An employee at the company told police Pokrzywinski had been "a little rough with a few different clients," according to a probable cause affidavit from Benton County sheriff's investigator Chris Sparks.
A doctor also told Sparks the man's injuries were not consistent with a fall.
In a police interview, Pokrzywinski said the man may have been injured when he tripped on a curb at the park two weeks before.
According to a representative of Bost reached Monday, Pokrzywinski no longer works for the company.