Attorney General Jack Conway has announced that three former employees of Oakwood Manor in Somerset have been indicted on felony charges of abuse and neglect by a Pulaski County grand jury.
22-year-old Coty King, of Pine Knot, is charged with three counts of knowing abuse or neglect of an adult; 21-year-old Cody Burton, of Burnside, is charged with two counts of complicity to knowing abuse or neglect of an adult; and 22-year-old Timothy James Ball, of Pine Knot, faces one count of knowing abuse or neglect of an adult.
Both King and Burton were first arrested in September after King allegedly enticed a developmentally disabled adult patient at Oakwood Manor to hit another patient while King used his cell phone to record the incident. Burton was accused of participating in the incident and failing to report it. Further forensics review of video recovered from the cell phone led to the indictment of Ball for his involvement in another incident staged by King.
The Pulaski County Attorney's Office handled the original charges against King and Burton, which were dismissed pending the indictment announced today. Commonwealth’s Attorney Eddy Montgomery is handling the prosecution of this matter.
The violations in this case are Class C felonies punishable by up to five to 10 years in prison.
All persons accused of a crime are presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law.
The Attorney General’s Tip Line for reporting allegations of abuse is 877 ABUSE TIP (877-228-7384).
