The victim’s father planted a camera in the home after suspecting abuse due to injuries he had seen on his son.
BEXAR COUNTY, Texas — The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office says they are searching for one of the four suspects accused of abusing a 29-year-old non-verbal autistic man at a group home.
On May 22, a deputy responded to the 7314 block of Highland Lake Drive after receiving reports of a possible assault.
Upon arrival, the deputy came across Anne Holland who said she was the manager of the group home through MAOFU Home Healthcare. Holland said Adult Protective Services had contacted her in reference to an incident that occurred on May 21 alleging that caregivers, Tony Israel and Harrison Odiri, assaulted a resident at the home. Holland also told police the victim suffers from severe intellectual and developmental disabilities and Autism.
Holland told officials she received a video from the victim’s father showing the alleged abuse and went on to show the investigators the footage.
BCSO says the video shows the victim being pushed onto a bed by former BCSO deputy Tony Israel. When the victim would try and get up, Israel allegedly struck his leg and kept forcing him back down onto the bed.
Harrison Odiri was reportedly seen in the video grabbing the victim’s legs, almost pulling him off the bed.
Before the video ends, Israel can reportedly be seen tying a sheet around the victim to keep his arms down.
Benjamin Tambe can also allegedly be seen in some of the videos restraining the victim, causing “red marks” on the victim’s arms.
When the video ended, BCSO says Holland began to cry, telling the deputy this is not how the employees were trained.
Holland told officials their training allows them to hold down an individual who is being combative or self harming. And if residents are combative, employees are instructed to call law enforcement.
BCSO said in one of the videos though, Odiri and Tambe can be seen holding the victim to the floor while giving him medication by forcing a syringe down his throat.
Israel was immediately terminated from BCSO and arrested on May 22. He had been with the department since 2023 but is now facing charges of felony assault against disabled individuals and injury disabled criminal negligence.
Tambe was arrested on May 24 and is facing charges of unlawful restraint and injury disabled negligence.
Holland received several citations for prohibited occupancy, rendering fire protection system inoperative, unlawful acts and unsafe conditions.
Odiri reportedly only has a tourism visa and is not allowed to be employed. He remains at large and immigration authorities have been notified incase he attempts to flee the country.
This is an ongoing investigation. KENS 5 will update this story as more information becomes available.