It was cruel and unusual punishment in a care home for developmentally challenged people. Five people are being charged with using a clothes iron on one of the residents. Four of the five accused are behind bars and police are waiting for the fifth to turn himself in.
O'Carroll homes has been a care facility in Putnam county for twenty years, they have six homes in the Palatka area with five to six patients living in each. Accusations of abuse by staff members has shocked the director of the home, who says it was an administrator who checked up on the home January 3rd, saw the burns on the girl and contacted police.
Director Tammi Carnes of O'Carroll homes still can't believe the abuse that apparently took place in one of their residences. Carnes says their facility is pressing charges on the staff members because what happened is unacceptable. According to police, Devin Wesley held the girl down while Kavarus Bellamy burned her body with the clothes iron. Jolissia Battles sprayed the girl in the face with chemicals and two others Jamon Davis and Yolanda Miller saw it all and did nothing. The victim is back living with her family.
Police are waiting for Bellamy to turn himself in. He is being charged with aggravated child abuse, child abuse, assault, and four counts of tampering.
Jolissia Battles was charged with child abuse and failure to protect a child.
Devin Wesley was charged with child abuse, false imprisonment, and tampering with a witness.
Yolanda Miller and Jamon Davis were charged with failure to protect a child and failure to report child abuse.