2 charged with keeping vulnerable adults locked in dangerous unlicensed residential care home

SC Attorney General’s Office

Photo: SC Attorney General's Office

COLUMBIA, S.C.(WOLO)– An Orangeburg woman and man are accused of keeping vulnerable adults locked in a dangerous unlicensed residential care home, said the Attorney General’s Office.

A joint investigation by the Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (SCMFCU) and the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety (ODPS), in collaboration with SCDHEC’s Bureau of Healthcare Quality led to the arrest of Estelle A. Hutchinson and Tracy T. Wright.

Investigators said the arrest was made based on five vulnerable adults found to be residing in an unlicensed Certified Residential Care Facility (CRCF) on February 15 at or around Rome Street in Orangeburg.

Also, officials said there were numerous community complaints filed with ODPS that led to a SCDHEC inspection on February 15 that determined Hutchinson was operating an unlicensed CRCF at the Rome Street location, where Wright was working as a caregiver.

Due to concerns over the resident’s immediate safety, SCMFCU and ODPS investigators were contacted and arrived at the property to conduct a criminal investigation.

The SCMFCU and ODPS joint investigation revealed that Hutchinson and Wright, while acting as caregivers failed to provide the care, goods, or services necessary to maintain the five vulnerable adult residents’ health and safety.

The residents were immediately taken into emergency protective custody by law enforcement.

SCMFCU and ODPS investigators allege that Hutchinson and Wright confined four of the vulnerable adults in locked rooms within the care facility and prevented the victims from accessing basic necessities such as food, clothing, medicine, shelter, supervision, medical services, and a safe means of being able to get out of the building.

In addition the location had a strong urine odor, residents reported being hungry, and padlocks were preventing them from leaving the building.

Orangeburg DPS firefighters said they noticed a natural gas heater at the care home was malfunctioning and causing a buildup of gas fumes inside the residence which required the immediate venting of the residence by emergency personnel.

Hutchinson and Wright have each been charged with five counts of neglect of a vulnerable adult, four counts of kidnapping, and one count of criminal conspiracy.

Both of them were booked into the Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Detention Center on Tuesday, March 19.

The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.