Staff member abused vulnerable adult at Albert Lea care home

The Minnesota Department of Human Services has confirmed that a former staff member at American Baptist Homes, located in Albert Lea, physically and emotionally abused a vulnerable adult in April 2024. This incident was investigated by the Office of Inspector General. The abuse reportedly occurred when the staff member and the vulnerable adult had an argument while driving back from shopping. The adult wanted to go home but was allegedly provoked by the staff member. When they returned to the facility, the staff member tackled the adult and put them in a chokehold, threatening to kill them. The vulnerable adult suffered scratches on their neck during the incident. Witnesses, including another resident, contradicted the staff member's version of events during the investigation. The department found that the staff person acted inappropriately and did not follow the required standards of care for such facilities. The staff member had received training on the rights of vulnerable adults prior to the incident. While the staff member is no longer employed at American Baptist Homes, they were not disqualified from future direct care work at this time. However, any future substantiated cases of maltreatment could lead to disqualification. The facility has retrained all staff on their reporting policies and no formal correction order was issued, as they took immediate actions to address the situation.