A worker at an East Islip group home was caught on camera kicking a male resident in the mid-section.
The video shows the man then fall back onto a chair at Life’s WORC, a facility that houses approximately six adult men with autism.
The employee was fired following the incident that happened in February, according to a source familiar with the situation.
This is not the first allegation of abuse at the group home.
In 2019, a worker pleaded guilty to forcing a resident to run on a treadmill while naked as a form of punishment. The resident fell and fractured his neck as a result of the incident.
That resident’s aunt told News 12 that she wasn't surprised about the latest incident.
“To see this boy kicked like right out in the open is shocking to the conscience, but I’m not surprised,” says Erin Daly-Spano.
A whistleblower employee who works inside the home but did not want to reveal their name says management frequently ignores complaints of mistreatment.
The anonymous employee also sent News 12 photos of injuries they say a different resident sustained last week.
“There’s always someone putting their hands on the guys, there’s always someone mistreating them,” they say. “Someone talking to them verbally abusive, belittling them, flicking them, pinching them, punching them, slapping them.”
Nobody from the facility would speak to News 12 on camera, citing HIPAA laws.
A spokesperson for Life’s WORC wrote in a statement, “The safety of the residents in our care is our top priority and we have a zero-tolerance policy that will result in the immediate termination of any employee who places their health and well-being at risk. All allegations of abuse are taken seriously, reported and charges against any bad actors will be pursued to the fullest extent possible.”
It is not known if any criminal charges have been filed in the most recent case.
A spokesperson for the group home says they perform background checks and fingerprint any prospective workers.
