An Ozark County woman has been arrested for financially exploiting two elderly women she was caring for. Fifty-seven-year-old Patricia Santos Duvalier of Dora is facing two charges in the case and is also facing charges for physically abusing another client in her care this year that is mentally handicapped.
According to court documents in the most recent case, an investigator with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Office of Special Investigations received a report from the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department regarding a death investigation of a woman from Tecumseh. Duvalier was a caregiver for the woman.
The woman had given Duvalier her debit card to withdraw her $1,000 per month salary, but when the woman went into a nursing home prior to her death, Duvalier continued to withdraw the money.
A second victim who is bedridden in the home and cared for by Duvalier, was found by deputies in a bed that was soaked with urine and feces and had roaches crawling on the bed.
The victim was taken to Ozarks Health in West Plains and treated for numerous bedsores the affidavit says were caused by Duvalier’s neglect.
The second victim told investigators she paid Duvalier between $860 and $900 per month to take care of her and another $1,000 to take care of the other woman who was handicapped. She also says Duvalier would not agree to take care of the two women unless she added her name to the deed of their house and land. The woman said she agreed to this because she feared she would have not have anyone to take care of them.
When investigators asked the second victim how many hours Duvalier worked each day, she said Duvalier would work from 9-2, leaving her in her bed and the other woman locked in her bedroom until she arrived again the next day.
Duvalier is facing two felony counts of financial exploitation of elderly or disabled and one misdemeanor count of elder abuse. She is being held without bond in the Ozark County Jail.
Duvalier was arrested earlier this fall after a mentally handicapped female in her care was injured.
According to the probable cause affidavit in that case, the victim, who also lives in Tecumseh, was brought to the emergency room at Ozarks Health and told by Duvalier, her paid caregiver, that she had suffered a fall.
Hospital staff noted the 37-year-old had lost nearly 50 pounds in a short amount of time, had numerous bruises indicating abuse, tissue was missing from her upper lip indicating a blow to the face and she had a broken nose.
Hospital staff told investigators the victim was very scared and kept repeating “help me.”
In that case, Duvalier is facing felony counts of assault in the first degree and abuse of a mentally disabled person.
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Ozark County woman facing charges for financially exploiting two elderly women she was caring for
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