Background: Benjamin Tambe (KSAT). Top inset: Tony Israel. Bottom inset: Harrison Odiri (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office).
Three employees of a Texas group home are facing charges for allegedly abusing a 29-year-old man with autism by “smacking him around,” tying him up and forcing medication down his throat.
Tony Israel, 45, is facing a charge of assault against a disabled individual while Benjamin Tambe, 53, and Harrison Odiri, 52, stand accused of unlawful restraint. All three also face a charge of injury to a disabled person with criminal negligence.
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“This is a heartbreaking case,” Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar told reporters at a press conference. “This is an enraging case.”
Salazar described the non-verbal man as “completely helpless” and has likely suffered abuse at the hands of the suspects before during his seven years at the facility.
The investigation began on Thursday when the victim’s father alerted deputies to the abuse at Maofu Home Healthcare in the 7300 block of Highland Drive.
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Salazar said the father suspected abuse, so — unbeknownst to staff — he inserted a secret camera inside his son’s bedroom. The sheriff highlighted two videos that allegedly showed abuse. The men were allegedly captured on video trying to get the victim to bed but he was uncooperative and went into a defensive posture. The suspects began “smacking him around” and tied him up with a sweatshirt before forcing him on the bed, cops said.
In the other video, Tambe and Odiri allegedly held him on the ground and squirted some liquid medication into his mouth.
“What we see is nothing short of abuse of this poor, helpless man,” Salazar said. “It’s pretty disgusting to watch the fact that these people who call themselves home health care aides are just abusing this man beyond belief.”
The sheriff credited the victim’s father for installing the camera which was vital in leading to the arrests. Officials from the fire department also did a walk through of the home and cited the 53-year-old owner for inoperable fire protection systems and prohibited occupancy.
Israel was a part-time deputy with the sheriff’s office. He was fired after his arrest, per Salazar.
The victim was transferred to a different facility.
All three suspects were arrested and taken to the Bexar County Jail.
