Gordon’s Total Care Homes Accused of Bribing at Least One Voter, Video Evidence Shows Staff Abused Clients

February 8, 2014

41NBC Web Producer,

GORDON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — A state report that documents abuse allegations at Total Care Personal Care Homes says at least one person was bribed to vote in muncipal elections on November 5th.

The state report was put together by an investigator with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

According to the report, in an interview with staffer, Amber Coverson, she said “staff took individuals to vote in the last election… (one person) refused to vote and Ms. Boyd bribed him to vote with food.”

Sam Veal, the human resources director for Total Care, also said he took three individuals to vote.

The owner of Total Care, Pamela Reaves, is the sister of newly elected Mayor Mary Whipple Lue who beat out incumbent, Mayor Kenneth Turner, by 40 votes.

Back in November, you’ll remember 41NBC reported that at least two Gordon residents filed complaints with the Secretary of State’s Office, saying mentally disabled people who were “incoherent” were being dragged into the polls to vote.

41NBC spoke with a member of the Secretary of State’s Office Friday, who said those allegations are still under investigation.

It is still unclear at this time if the statements in the Total Care report are connected to the Gordon voting complaints filed with the state.

Evidence of Abuse and Neglect

The Georgia DBHDD said it’s investigation on Total Care focused on the allegations of abuse and neglect.

A total of 36 staff members and clients were interviewed during the course of the investigation which began after an incident on Nov. 7, 2013.

The report says staff at the Total Care homes admitting to hitting clients with belts, and one is accused of breaking a client’s arm and trying to cover it up. Several staff members who were interviewed said Ms.Reaves told them “hitting on the head” was okay because it doesn’t bruise.

The report says there is video evidence that five people were seen physically abusing at least one client. The same five people are also accused of neglect for not stopping or reporting it, in addition to two other staff members who didn’t step in either.

Three other staffers are accused of neglect for not reporting injuries immediately when they were discovered.

41NBC spoke with Georgia DBHDD’s Director of Communications, Chris Bailey, who said, “We take all of these allegations in this report very seriously, which is why we elected to remove all of our clients from her care.”

The state sent this statement to our news room in response to the investigation:

“The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) has stopped sending clients to Total Care and has sent a letter to Pamela Reaves terminating the agency’s agreement with Total Care. DBHDD has also recommended to the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) termination of Total Care’s Medicaid number. Any questions regarding Medicaid or licensing will need to be referred to DCH.”

41NBC previously reported seven staff members were arrested and charged in connection with these accusations.