Rhea man charged with elder abuse
Woman discovered roaming trailer park ‘in a delusional state’
An older couple was left in December at a vacant mobile home in northern Rhea County, Tenn., for four days with nothing but what they had on their backs.
Authorities said that act of abandonment launched a probe that landed a 26-year-old man behind bars on felony elder abuse charges.
Matthew J. Savage Jr., of Sweetwater, Tenn., was charged on two counts of vulnerable adult abuse and/or neglect, Rhea County Sheriff’s Office investigator Rocky Potter said. Savage is being held on a $10,000 bond and has a court appearance scheduled for March 2.
Potter said Savage dropped off the couple — a 67-year-old man and his 59-year old wife — after talking with the mobile home park owner about renting a place. Savage reportedly told the park owner he’d return with rent money and funds to set up housekeeping. Instead, he left the couple behind and never returned, the investigator said.
According to an incident report, Savage “has yet to return to provide money, living essentials, medications or check on their well-being,” the report states.
The woman had been roaming the mobile home park “searching for used cigarettes, talking to herself in a delusional state of mind,” and had entered other homes and was seen taking food from trash cans, according to the report. Her husband was bedridden for two days, hadn’t been cleaned up and needed medical attention. He was hospitalized in Chattanooga, the report states.
Once the couple’s neighbors learned of the situation, arrangements were made between the park owner and a local church to turn on the electricity, officials said.
“(P)ark residents have been bringing the victims food, water, clothing” while Savage apparently kept the couple’s government assistance cards, which had funds available on them, the report states. Neither had any ID or cellphones to use to seek help.
Potter said the investigation began just as a new state law on elder abuse went into effect Jan. 1 that establishes a Vulnerable Adult Protective Investigative Team in each of Tennessee’s 31 judicial districts.
The teams are to coordinate abuse and neglect investigations and to review information generated by multidisciplinary adult protective services, according to a summary of the law. Members include the district attorney general or a designee, representatives of local law enforcement agencies and adult protective services and others. District attorneys are to meet at least quarterly with the team to review cases.
Potter said the team began investigating in December, looking into reports the couple — who were previously staying in the Athens-Sweetwater area — had been left at the park on Bare Lane, north of Spring City, Tenn.
Savage gave a statement to police but Potter said he couldn’t talk about those details yet.
Now both victims are living in “alternative placement” as the investigation continues, Potter said.
The Rhea County team already has investigated “10 to 12 referrals,” Potter said. Savage’s arrest arose from the first case investigated under the new law.
District Attorney General Mike Taylor said the teams strengthen the investigation and streamline the process of reviewing potential cases for prosecution. Taylor said the new teams are similar to Child Protective Investigative Teams established to investigate child abuse cases.