TWO ANNE ARUNDEL WOMEN INDICTED FOR NEGLECTING VULNERABLE ADULTS IN THE SAME FACILITY

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr., announced today that an Anne Arundel County Grand Jury has returned separate indictments against two Anne Arundel county residents for their actions at Millersville Home Care, an assisted living facility in Millersville, Maryland.

Erlinda Sarabia, the owner of the facility, is charged in an eight-count indictment with neglect of vulnerable adults and Medicaid Fraud. Sarabia, 69, of Pasadena, Maryland, was the owner of Millersville Home Care. Her indictment covers the period of January 13 to October 15, 2003. Sarabia has been charged with failing to provide necessary assistance and resources for three vulnerable adults residing at her facility. The felony counts of the Indictment charge that Sarabia’s failures caused serious injury to three victims. She is also charged with Medicaid Fraud for allegedly billing Medicaid for services she did not provide for one of the Medicaid recipients at her facility. Ms. Sarabia has been arrested and released on $25,000 bail

A separate two count indictment charges that Nancy Stone, RN, committed felony and misdemeanor neglect of a vulnerable adult at the same facility. Ms. Stone, 59, of Annapolis, was the delegating nurse for Millersville Home Care. The indictment charges that from September 13, 2003, through September 19, 2003, Stone failed to provide necessary assistance and resources for a vulnerable adult residing at the facility. The felony count of the Indictment charges that Stone’s failures caused serious injury to the victim.

The cases are being prosecuted by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office which has authority to investigate and prosecute abuse or neglect of vulnerable adults in assisted living facilities. A criminal indictment is only an accusation and all persons are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Neglect of a vulnerable adult in the first degree is a felony punishable by a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail and fine of $10,000. Neglect of a vulnerable adult in the second degree is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, or both, on each count. Felony Medicaid Fraud carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $100,000 fine, or both.

A trial date has not been set.

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