ARLINGTON, Texas (TCD) -- Police recently arrested a 49-year-old community living home operator on suspicion of abandoning and endangering clients, including a woman with cerebral palsy who allegedly had to cut her wrists to escape the facility.
The Arlington Police Department said investigators determined 49-year-old Regla "Su" Becquer and her staff failed to adequately care for her clients at an unlicensed group home she owned and operated, Love and Caring for People, LLC. Becquer allegedly "prevented clients from seeking medical attention," tried to eliminate "all communication between clients and their families," used clients’ debit cards without their knowledge or permission, and "maintained possession of deceased clients’ property, including phones and vehicles."
Love and Caring for People, LLC reportedly serves adults who need daily supervised personal care. According to police, the department's Behavioral Health Law Enforcement Unit has investigated numerous claims of abuse, neglect, theft, and fraud at the facility.
According to a warrant reviewed by WFAA-TV, a victim with cerebral palsy told police she lived at the home for several days and was told she'd have a bed. However, her caretakers allegedly only provided her with a mattress on the floor.
The woman's caretakers reportedly failed to change her feces-filled diaper for days. The warrant alleges the caretakers wouldn't allow the woman to leave and gave her an unprescribed mint-flavored liquid medicine. The caretakers allegedly kicked the victim and poured water on her, which limited her breathing.
The woman reportedly told police she asked to leave repeatedly, and "she cut her own wrists hoping someone would call 911." However, no one called 911, and the woman texted a friend, stating she was being held hostage, WFFA reports.
Police and first responders performed a welfare check on Dec. 13 and noticed the woman's wounds on her arm, validating her claims of slitting her wrists.
According to the affidavit reviewed by WFAA, "When the fire department asked if the victim wanted to go to the hospital, she screamed, 'Yes!'"
The victim is reportedly heard yelling, "Get me out of here" on body-worn camera footage.
Investigators said all of the caretakers were either related to Becquer or dating her family members, and police could not find medical licenses for any of the staff members, according to WFAA. The caretakers also allegedly provided clients with substances that prevented them from leaving the facility.
According to WFAA, Arlington Police Lieutenant Kimberly Harris said in a press conference, "Some were being physically assaulted. Some were being neglected to the point of an individual who was wheelchair bound and did not have a wheelchair in the home and would get around crawling on his arms. We found scratches on his arms."
Police said they have identified multiple potential victims, and there are five different properties related to Love and Caring for People, LLC, including addresses in Arlington, Mansfield, and Grand Prairie, Texas.
According to WFAA, officials removed victims from the five homes, and some of them had to undergo emergency medical care due to malnourishment.
Investigators are also looking into how Becquer took ownership of the facility located at 1210 Woodbrook St. Probate documents reviewed by WFAA say the previous homeowner handed down the property in a single handwritten sentence less than a month before she died.
On March 11, police announced the arrest of Becquer on one count of abandoning/endangering an individual –– imminent danger of bodily injury. Even though there are additional victims, police said Becquer has only been charged in connection with one case, which WFAA reports is the woman with cerebral palsy. Investigators are working to determine if there are additional victims or community living homes they're unaware of. Additional charges are pending.
Arlington Chief of Police Al Jones said in a statement, "We’ve learned about some very concerning things occurring within these homes, and we want to ensure that no victims are falling through the cracks."
Becquer remains held in the Tarrant County Corrections Center on $750,000 bond.
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