Former Caregiver Sentenced for Neglect of Vulnerable Adults

BALTIMORE, MD (December 3, 2007) - Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that Haendel Paul, 27, of Columbia, was found guilty in the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore County of three counts of neglect of a vulnerable adult. Judge John C. Coolahan sentenced Paul to three years incarceration with the entire sentence suspended, three years supervised probation, 80 hours community service, and prohibited him from working in the health care industry for three years. Paul was also fined $100 for each count.

In 2007, Paul was employed as an awake-overnight residential counselor at a Baltimore County group home operated by Creative Options, Inc., a provider of residential and community support to individuals with developmental disabilities. Paul was assigned to care for three developmentally disabled men from 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 28, 2007 through 9:00 a.m. on January 29, 2007. A manager from Creative Options had attempted to telephone Paul at the group home during his shift and was unable to reach him. Another Creative Options employee arrived at the home and found the front door unlocked, all three residents in their beds, and no caregiver present. Paul admitted that he took the company van and visited a friend in Columbia.

This case was prosecuted by Attorney General Gansler’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit based upon a referral from the Baltimore County Police Department. In making today’s announcement, Attorney General Gansler thanked Assistant Attorney General Catherine Pascale for her work on the case.