Facility Owner Charged With Elderly Abuse

The owner of a number of personal care homes in Atlanta that were designed for elderly residents with disabilities is in jail after police uncovered evidence of theft, neglect, and elderly abuse a the facilities.

Gwinnett County Police uncovered the elderly abuse after obtaining search warrants for all seven of the personal care homes owned by Sema Vijayi. The searches uncovered a number of unsanitary living conditions, disabled residents living in one of the building’s basements.

"We were able to find homes where the cleanliness wasn't where it should be. There was one report where water was shut off in the home for five days," Detective James Flanagan told Atlanta ABC affiliate WSBTV.

Furthermore, investigations revealed that Vijayi had also been stealing from the elderly patients at her facilities. Her bank records indicated that she stole at least $10,000 from close to 30 residents. Families of some residents told WSBTV that Vijayi had control of all the money that residents were receiving through social security.

While police anticipate that Vijayi will be charged with additional crimes, she currently is being held on theft and elder abuse charges.

If you or a loved one have been victimized by elder abuse, there are legal options at your disposal that may be worth pursuing. Call Sokolove Law today to learn more about pursuing a elderly abuse lawsuit. 

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