The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
3 CVH staffers accused of abuse
Police say more arrests are expected
MIDDLETOWN » Three staff members at the Whiting Forensic Division of the Connecticut Valley Hospital have been arrested and charged with cruelty to persons.
Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad and state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services police say the three men are accused of abusing a patient at the 70 O’Brien Drive facility in Middletown.
“After the abuse was discovered, the patient was relocated and the identified staff members were placed on administrative leave,” state police spokesman Eric Haglund said in a release.
Police then applied for and were granted three arrest warrants:
Carl Benjamin, 39, of Town Walk Road, Hamden, was charged with six counts of cruelty to persons and 6 counts of disorderly conduct Tuesday. His bail was set at $75,000 cash or surety and he is due in Superior Court in Middletown Thursday.
Mark Cusson, 49 of Harness Drive, Southington, was charged with eight counts of cruelty to persons and eight counts of disorderly conduct when he was arrested Tuesday. His bail was set at
$75,000 cash or surety and he is due in Superior Court in Middletown Thursday.
Gregory Giantonio, 43, of Rattling Valley Road, Deep River, was charged with three counts of cruelty to persons and three counts of disorderly conduct Thursday. His bail was set at $75,000 cash or surety and he was held pending his arraignment in Superior Court in Middletown on Wednesday.
The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are anticipated, police said.
Whiting Forensic provides services to people admitted under psychiatric review board commitment, criminal court order for restoration of competency to stand trial, civil commitment or for a transfer from the state Department of Correction, such as at the end of a sentence, according to the DHMAS website. The facility has 106 maximum security beds and 141 enhanced security beds.