N.J.: Family Alleges Abuse At Home For Disabled After Young Woman's Death

In 3 Years Tara O'Leary Went From Normal Physical Health To Emaciated Beyond Words And Eventual Death
By Sean Hennessey
http://wcbstv.com/topstories/tara.oleary.nj.2.874003.html

LITTLE SILVER, N.J. (CBS) ― A young woman spent her last weeks of life emaciated and with bed sores, and now her family and lawmakers are holding the State of New Jersey responsible for her death.

The developmentally disabled woman was being cared for in a group home overseen by the state.

But as CBS 2 HD found out, the case is now prompting a full review of similar group homes.

When Tara O'Leary was 26 she was developmentally disabled but healthy. But when she died three years later, she was hospitalized, just 48 pounds and in unspeakable pain.

"It was horrible," said Maureen Faletti, O'Leary's cousin. "It was something we'll never forget. It was heartbreaking, traumatizing."

On Tuesday her cousins and state lawmakers blamed New Jersey's Department of Developmental Disabilities for her death.

"Clearly there was abuse happening, horrific abuse happening," State Sen. Jennifer Beck, R-12th District, said.

The problems began when the woman's father died in 2005 and her stepmother took over as guardian. The problem was, she wasn't a legal guardian, yet was allowed to act like one, denying the family access to O'Leary, or letting them know the location of the group home where she was being cared for.

"We couldn't, obviously, go to the home, so there was no way of us to make sure Tara was fine except for the case worker's word," cousin Eileen Devlin said.

The family said O'Leary's case worker told them all the right things.

"'Oh, Tara's needs are being met fully. She couldn't be in a more loving environment. This family loves her and cares for her as she was her own,'" Faletti said.

But inside the home, O'Leary was withering away, and was finally rushed to the hospital where things went from bad to worse.

"She was pulling her hair out of her head," Faletti said. "She was pulling her fingers and her mouth, screaming in pain."

The 29-year-old died on Nov. 10.

"Tara could have lived to be an old woman," Faletti said.

Now lawmakers are sending letters to the attorney general, demanding an investigation.

With more than 1,200 developmentally disabled adults in New Jersey, lawmakers want to know who's caring for them, and if they are okay.

"It's so frightening to think what's going on in these homes with these people who don't have voices for themselves," Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, R-12th District, said.

O'Leary's case worker didn't want to talk and there was no answer at the group home, but now answers are being demanded so this never happens again.

The case worker has been suspended and the group home has been shut down.

CBS 2 HD contacted New Jersey's Department of Developmental Disabilities to find out how this could have happened but they haven't gotten back to us.

See Related Story: http://tcfpbis.blogspot.com/2008/11/nj-death-of-43-pound-disabled-woman.html