Barrow journal (Winder, Ga.) 2008-2016, November 16, 2011, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextBarrow ii. Journal www.BarrowJournal.com Doesn’t everyone you know read the Journal? -Wednesday, November 16,2011- Vol. 4 No. 4 36 PAGES 3 SECTIONS plus inserts A publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. WINDER, BARROW COUNTY GEORGIA 30680 25(4 COPY Case expands in abuse of mentally ill Sheriff Jud Smith calls in GBI to probe multi-county personal care system Inside: •Veterans honored pages 1C Opinions: •'A special place in hell for those who abuse the weak' page 4 A •'Be careful what you wish for' page 4A By Susan Norman snorman @ barrowjournal. com One Barrow County man remained behind bars early this week after he alle gedly dumped four mentally ill patients last Friday at a Winder home that had no heat. This week, the investigation into what appears to be the physical, finan cial and psychological abuse of several mentally ill patients expanded when Sheriff Jud Smith asked the GBI to get involved since some of the people con nected to the incident are in Gwinnett County and as far away as Villa Rica in West Georgia. Arrested by the Winder Police Department Friday night was Mario Kenneth Yarbrough, 41, of Barrow County. Yarbrough was charged with multiple counts of reckless conduct and the neglect and exploitation of disabled adults for having dum ped the four men tally ill patients in an apparent attempt to avoid their detection at an unlicensed personal care home in Barrow County. Several other people may also soon face charges in the case. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith announced the state’s involvement at a press conference Tuesday following an emergency meeting of top law enfor cement officials, prosecutors and GBI agents at the Winder Police Department. Jim Fullington, the special agent in charge of the Athens GBI office, said that while the investigation was only beginning, every legal avenue would be pursued. He said this is not the first time Georgia has had problems with such community-based operations. He urged the public to notify law enforcement agencies about anything unusual going on at a neighbor's house, or if an adult obviously in need of assis tance is seen wandering alone outside. Fullington also said every agency representative at Tuesday morning’s meeting was united in urging families to carefully check out facilities and pro grams before entrusting to them disabled loved ones. “We recommend that if family mem bers have persons in some of these types of homes, they research who is taking care of them - carefully research what kind of condition their family members are in.” THE TRAIL FROM WEST GEORGIA How the four mentally ill people ended up in an unheated home in Winder last week apparently began in the West Georgia town of Villa Rica at Willowbrooke at Tanner mental health facility. That facility reportedly referred several of its discharged patients to an unlicensed and uncertified residential program in Lawrenceville operated by Tabitha Lopez. Lopez would then farm out patients to other people, including Yarbrough and his associates. Narquitta and Priscilla Streete. The three Barrow Countians were reportedly using two houses in Cambridge Estates subdivision off Hoyt King Rd. to rent rooms to mentally See Abuse on Page 3A •'Are casinos next for Georgia?' .... page 5/1 Sports: •Doggs win state page 1B •Basketball preview page 1B •GHSA reclassification put on hold page3B Also Inside: •Church News page 6C •Classifieds page 11C •Obituaries page 7C •Pets of the Week page 3C •Public Safety pages 6-1OA •School News pages 7-8B Online: B Follow us on Facebook by becoming a fan of the Barrow Journal today. www.BarrowJournal.com To subscribe, call today: 770-867-NEWS (6397) The Barrow Journal is delivered by mail every Thursday. INTERAGENCY COOPERATION ON CASE Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith, GBI special agent in charge Jim Fullington of Athens, Sheriff Jud Smith and Winder Police Chief Dennis Dorsey announce their interagency cooperation at a press conference Tuesday. The announcement followed a private meeting that also included a Gwinnett County police detective, police chiefs from Auburn and Statham, and other representa tives of the DA’s office, the sheriff’s office and Barrow County and Winder planning departments. Photo by Susan Norman Blechinger takes national award in Phoenix, is congratulated in Auburn By Katie Cofer katie @ barrowjournal. com Following an announcement last week that the mayor of Auburn Linda Blechinger cinched a national award for her leadership skills, the City of Auburn held a surprise celebration for her on Monday. Blechinger was one in five nationwide female finalists for the Women in Municipal Government (WIMG) 2011 leadership award. WIMG is a constituency group of the National League of Cities (NLC) that encourages women to seek public office. At Monday’s event, Blechinger said: “Thank you so much... I honestly didn’t think I was going to win... You know it really and truly is because all of us together that Auburn has been recognized nationally, which is awesome. That is just so incredible. Who would have ever thought that?” Among those who shared in surprising the mayor was former Braselton mayor Pat Graham, Winder mayor Chip Thompson, Barrow County See Blechinger on Page 13A BLECHINGER Patients allege physical, verbal and financial abuse By Susan Norman snorman @ barrowjournal. com Last Friday’s rescue of four mentally ill people who had been dumped in an unheated Winder home by their sup posed caretakers was a serious matter. But according to the mentally ill patients and their families, much more serious problems have existed with the operations of two illegal per sonal care homes in Barrow County. Among the allegations are physical abuse, verbal abuse and financial abuse. Among the incidents now being looked into further is the Aug. 18 death of a mentally ill patient from one of the Barrow County homes. The client was later hit and killed by a train in Gwinnett County. District Attorney Brad Smith confirmed after Tuesday’s press conference that his office would look into the death of 42-year- old Margaret Minnick, who ran off with another Barrow County client and was killed by a train. Minnick’s disappearance was not reported by the operator of the personal care home, Mario Kenneth Yarbrough. See Patients on Page 3/ ASSIST POLICE Carrollton resident Robin Jones and her 26-year-old son Andrew, assisted police in finding the Winder house where he and three other mentally ill adults had been left by a man illegally operating homes for the mentally ill in Barrow County. Photo by Susan Norman 3ft Barrow Get this deal on Half Price Barrow this Friday! www.HalfPriceBarrow.com $20 Gift Certificate for only $10 Family Sports Bar Pasta • Steaks • Seafood • Burgers Homemade Daily Lunch Specials Mon. - Fri. Starting at $4.99 Voted #1 Sports Bar In Auburn!

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Barrow journal (Winder, Ga.) 2008-2016, November 16, 2011, Image 1