HARRISBURG (PRESS RELEASE) – Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced the arrests of Allegheny County care providers August Young and Eric Walker for assaulting an individual with intellectual disabilities.
Young and Walker were direct support counselors employed by Taylor Maleski Home, LLC, an organization that provides supportive home services to individuals with intellectual disabilities in Allegheny, Indiana and Westmoreland counties. During the investigation, agents from the Office of Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Section and the North Versailles Police Department found that on the evening of November 2, 2021, Young and Walker assaulted an individual in their care with a metal rod. Neither Young nor Walker reported the incident, and the resident’s injuries were not discovered for two days until he complained of pain to another direct support counselor who discovered severe bruising and reported the incident. After the report was made, the resident was taken to a hospital for medical treatment where the resident’s testical was removed as a result of the injury.
“These defendants were trusted with the safety and well-being of their residents, but instead inflicted severe harm toward a person with intellectual disabilities in their care,” said AG Shapiro. “My office is committed to protecting all care-dependent Pennsylvanians, and we will hold these individuals accountable for their actions.”
Following a referral from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Office of Developmental Programs, the Office of the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Section and the North Versailles Police Department investigated the incident. Due to the improper use of discipline, Young has been charged with Neglect of a Care-Dependent Person, Aggravated Assault, Abuse of a Care-Dependent Person, Recklessly Endangering Another Person and Conspiracy. Erik Walker has been charged with Neglect of a Care-Dependent Person, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, and Conspiracy.
The Pennsylvania Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $9,133,920 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2022. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $3,044,638 for FY 2022, is funded by Pennsylvania.