Vulnerable adult assaulted by then-employee at care facility in Columbia, SC cops say
A former employee at a state-operated care center in Columbia was arrested and accused of assaulting one of the residents, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
On Tuesday, 56-year-old Michael Robert Short was charged with third-degree assault and battery, SLED said in a news release.
The incident happened at the Midlands Regional Center on Sept. 14, according to SLED. The facility at 8301 Farrow Road is run by the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs.
Short was working as a direct support professional when he pushed the resident, causing the “vulnerable adult” to fall backward onto the floor, according to an arrest warrant.
There was no word if the resident was injured during the incident, and information on the resident’s condition was not available.
Surveillance videos recorded the assault, and the charge was also corroborated through interviews, the arrest warrant said.
SLED didn’t say if Short was fired but said it was requested to investigate the incident by the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs.
Short was booked at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, according to SLED. The Lamar resident was released from the jail Wednesday after a $2,125 personal recognizance bond was set, Richland County court records show.
If convicted on the misdemeanor charge, Short could face a maximum punishment of 30 days in jail and a $500 fine, according to South Carolina law.
The case will be prosecuted by the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
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This story was originally published December 8, 2022 at 8:52 AM.
