Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Police: Three caretakers charged in death of Evansville woman who was special needs patient

by Houston Harwood

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — On Jan. 4, 2020, a home health aide in Evansville dialed 911 to report that her special needs client may have stopped breathing. When the Evansville Fire Department arrived, technicians determined that 28-year-old Robin Phillips was dead. 

Prosecutors this week charged three Evansville women in connection with Phillips' death. Latavia M. Booker, 20; Victoria D. Brown, 32; and Glenda R. Fields, 38, all face two counts of neglecting a dependent resulting in catastrophic injury. 

Brown and Fields were booked into the Vanderburgh County jail on Wednesday. Booker was arrested Tuesday. 

The three women worked for Compass Residential, a company that provides services to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

According to court records, Evansville police spoke to Booker at the scene of Phillips' death. Booker told police she heard a "thump," and the sound prompted her to check on Phillips. After placing a protective helmet on her, she returned Phillips to the bedroom.

When Booker later checked on her client, she told police she found her unresponsive and dialed 911.

A day before Phillips' death, her care team at Compass Residential held a meeting to discuss changes in Phillips' condition, according to court records.

Brown told police that protocol dictated Phillips be taken to the emergency room for treatment. After the meeting, Brown said she directed Booker and Fields, who worked the 3 p.m. shift with Phillips that day, to take Phillips to the emergency room. 

Megan Conner, who works for Indiana's Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services, told police she attended part of the meeting with Phillips' care team. She told police that Brown assured her Phillips would be taken to the emergency room.

According to court documents, that never happened.

After Phillips' death, Conner received a report from Compass that showed staff did not take Phillips to the emergency room despite being instructed to do so. 

Lakesha Watt, who was working with Phillips prior to the arrival of Booker and Fields on Jan. 3, 2020, later told police that Fields said "it was not her f-----g job" to take Phillips to the emergency room, according to a sworn affidavit filed against Fields. 

Fields told police she said "it was not her job" to take Phillips to the hospital because she "did not get paid extra," according to the affidavit. 

Compass Residential conducted its own internal review after Phillips' death.

Lee Vanhorn, a director at Compass, told police "there were a lot of documents just missing" from Phillip's medical records — specifically her Medication Administration Record.

According to court records, the Compass employee manual states that all direct support staff are required to "transport consumers during their shift," and also specifies how employees can receive compensation for the use of a personal vehicle. 

The same manual also defines "neglect" as the "failure to provide supervision, training, appropriate care, food, medical care, or medical supervision to an individual."

The Vanderburgh County Coroner's Office eventually determined Phillip died as the result of chlorpromazine intoxication and caretaker malfeasance of a special needs patient. Chlorpromazine is a widely used antipsychotic medication, and the drug was legally prescribed to Phillips. 

All three women charged in connection with Phillips' death are being held on $150,000 bond in the Vanderburgh County jail.

In Phillips' obituary, her family wrote, "Robin loved to swim and enjoyed listening to music. She also enjoyed long rides in the car."

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