OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — An Osceola County detective testified Thursday that five patients died in connection with the care they received at several unlicensed assisted living facilities in Osceola County.
The testimony came during a pre-trial detention hearing for the two people accused of operating the homes, 56-year-old Marie Tarah Carenan and 60-year-old Ronald Pack.
The husband and wife are facing several charges, including scheme to defraud, aggravated elder abuse, elder abuse, elder neglect, elder exploitation, and welfare fraud.
Both suspects appeared in court on Thursday, where the judge ordered them held in jail until their trial.
The hearing included testimony alleging that elderly and vulnerable adults were tased and pepper-sprayed inside the unlicensed assisted living homes.
One woman, whom prosecutors described as a house manager, explained the punishment residents faced for misbehaving.
“They would go to the lockdown house. Sometimes they would be thrown into the pool. It all depends. They could get hit. They could get their phones taken away,” said Mandy Largent.
Largent testified that one patient’s diabetes was so mismanaged that he lost several toes as a result.
Investigators also testified they found padlocked doors, locked refrigerators, and no licensed nurses when they visited the facilities in Osceola County. Several witnesses also testified about alleged physical abuse by the defendants.
Detectives further testified that at least five people who lived in homes operated by Pack and Carenan died in connection to the care they received.
The son of one of those patients also testified during the hearing.
“In my unprofessional opinion, if my father were in any other care, whether it be mine, my sisters’, or somewhere legitimate, he would still be with us today. I do believe that they can be a danger to society since they’ve deceived multiple people. I think they should stay behind bars,” said the man on the witness stand.
During the hearing, the defense disputed the investigators’ claims surrounding the five deaths. Defense attorneys argued the patients died of natural causes and said investigators could not directly tie the deaths to the defendants. The defense also argued that many of the allegations amounted to hearsay.
Despite those arguments, the judge determined the testimony presented in court showed Pack and Carenan posed a danger to the community and should remain in custody.
The judge scheduled the next hearing for August.
Investigators told Chanel 9 they plan to bring additional charges.
The Office of Statewide Prosecution is continuing to interview patients who lived in the homes, and investigators confirmed they are also investigating additional allegations of physical and sexual abuse.
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