Jun 30, 2021 2 min read

MONESSEN – Three Washington County men who worked for a residential care home in Monessen were charged Wednesday with abusing a care-dependent man who lives there.

District Judge Wayne Vlasic signed warrants in the case for the arrests of: Thomas Richard Vernet, 19, of Donora; Travis Scott Rabe, 19, of Carroll Township; and Cody Allan Nordberg, 21, of Amwell Township, court records show.

Westmoreland County detectives charged each of the suspects with aggravated assault, abuse of a care-dependent person, simple assault, reckless endangerment and stalking.

The Greensburg-based home investigated the allegations of abuse in Monessen of a man with severe mental health problems and gave the city photos, videos and witness statements about the case.

The videos show workers at a Taylor Maleski Home location on Ross Street wrapping the man in a blanket and sitting on him to keep him on a couch. Witnesses said the workers denied the victim food and made him watch them dump his milk and smoothies down a sink as punishment, the complaint states.

The victim was dragged across a floor and forced to put his hand in his mouth, telling him he was a baby and needed to suck his thumb, detectives outlined in the affidavit.

The abuse took place between Dec 1 and Feb. 11, the record alleges.

Workers on Feb. 11 took the victim to Mon Valley Hospital in Carroll Township, telling a physician he suffered his injuries in a Jan. 31 auto accident, charging documents state.

The physician determined the injuries to his right cheek and nose were new and couldn’t have been caused by an accident. The physician also found old bruising on his cheek and evidence of an older broken nose, detectives said.

Taylor Maleski Home did not return a message seeking comment Wednesday afternoon.