Horror house
Decade of abuse at state-run home for disabled: suit
SEVERAL DISABLED residents of a state-run group home may have suffered abuse and neglect dozens of times over the course of a decade, according to new court papers.
The residents of Union Ave. IRA, in the Bronx, endured physical abuse, as well as neglect, while living in the group home, a Manhattan Federal Court lawsuit filed by their guardians alleges.
One of the guardians has even claimed that her sister was raped while under the supervision of Union Ave. IRA (photo).
The residents’ guardians sued Union Ave. staffers, as well as officials from the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, a state entity that oversees residences for mentally handicapped people, to put an end to the alleged abuse.
As part of the ongoing lawsuit — originally filed by their guardians last May — the disabilities agency filed paperwork on Feb. 13 describing its records on abuse and neglect for three residents whose guardians are suing the home.
Agency officials said records show that from 2006 to this year there were 24 incidents of alleged abuse or neglect toward one of these three residents.
Since 2005, there were 20 incidents of alleged abuse or neglect toward another resident.
And from 2006 to this year, there were 13 incidents of alleged abuse or neglect toward yet another resident whose guardian is suing the home, records show.
The guardians’ lawyer, Ilann Maazel, said he’s “never seen so many allegations of abuse” in a group home throughout his years representing alleged abuse victims.
The disabilities office said it hasn’t completed its search for records on abuse allegations.
Incidents involving alleged abuse and neglect were not tracked electronically until 2006, so it’s possible additional records exist, the agency said in court papers.
The agency did not comment when reached by the Daily News on Wednesday.
The disabilities office did not comment specifically on the allegations, but said on Feb. 23 that it is taking steps to prevent abuse.
“The safety and well-being of individuals supported by (the agency) is our highest priority. We committed to ensuring that all allegations of abuse and neglect in our service system are thoroughly and quickly addressed, investigated, and that appropriate measures are taken if substantiated,” the office said in the statement.
“Any abuse of the people in our care is completely unacceptable.”