CHARLESTON – A woman says her mentally impaired adult son was physically abused and improperly treated at his residential group home in St. Albans.
Joan Webb, on behalf of her son Jeffrey Watson Webb II, filed her complaint May 6 in Kanawha Circuit Court against RSCR West Virginia Inc., doing business as Hudson Street Group Home. Individuals also listed as defendants are Matheos Tekabe, Franchesca Altomore, Teketel Fitamo, Simon Zekariyias, Shane Fields, Brian Askew, Jean Miller, Russell Heater and Shabazz Washington. They all are employees of RSCR.
According to the complaint, the son has been a client of RSCR since the early 2000s. He suffers from profound intellectual disabilities, and he requires round-the-clock assistance. Before he moved into the Hudson Street Group Home, he lived with his parents Joan and Jeff Webb until he reached the age of physical maturity, which is when his parents required assistance with him. When he came to the family home for Sunday dinners, he always wanted to return to his Hudson Street “home.”
Jonathan R. Mani
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But, the complaint also details the physical abuse he suffered at the hands of Hudson Street staff. That includes physical restraints, violently being thrown on beds, physically sat on by staff members, his face being buried in mattresses and pillows, being thrown around by his wrists and ankles, having his arms and hands restrained behind his back.
“The abuse was so bad that the Saint Albans Police Department instituted a full-scale investigation which brought these abuses to light,” the complaint states. “Video footage documented significant physical abuse on Jeffrey Webb.”
All of the individual plaintiffs named in the complaint either were caught on video abusing Webb or they were in a supervisory position but not properly trained, according to the complaint.
“The investigation by St. Albans Police Department reveals that abusive behavior upon Jeffrey Webb was going on for at least three years,” the complaint states. “Management was involved in the abuse and saw other staff abusing Jeffrey Webb. Restraints were not contemplated or authorized in Jeffrey Webb’s care plan.”
In addition, the complaint says the state Department of Health and Human Resources’ Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification also investigated. As a result, the facility was cited for numerous regulatory violations.
His mother says Jeffrey Webb has suffered physical and emotional trauma exacerbated by the fact he doesn’t have adequate ability to process “the horrors which have been meted upon him.”
She accuses the defendants of breaching the standard of care, negligent hiring and retention of employees as well as vicarious liability. She seeks compensatory damages, general damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
She is being represented by Jonathan Mani of Mani Ellis & Layne in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Joanna Tabit.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 22-C-368