BOISE, Idaho — Boise police are actively searching for a personal care aide they believe left a man in his care in a bath of scalding water, leading to burns on 30% of his body; the man died 11 days later.
Omar Hamadi, 24, is wanted on suspicion of one count of exploitation or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in bodily harm, according to the Ada County Sheriff’s website. The warrant for his arrest was issued Aug. 30, and lists a bond amount of $10,000, according to the website, as initially reported by the Idaho Statesman.
Haley Williams, spokeswoman for the Boise Police Department, confirmed Hamadi was the caretaker charged with the care of 38-year-old Benjamin Reed, who had stage 4 Huntington’s disease, an illness causing the breakdown of nerve cells in the brain over time. On May 16, it is believed Hamadi drew a bath of hot water for Reed and left him there, resulting in severe burns. Reed was eventually taken to a burn trauma unit in Salt Lake City, where he died May 27.
Hamadi was employed by A Caring Hand, a Boise-based home health care company. In June, A Caring Hand told the Idaho Press an internal investigation was launched into the incident but declined to comment further. On Tuesday, a representative with A Caring Hand said the administrator, who is gone until Monday, was the only one who could comment on the investigation’s progress.
Nikki Forbing-Orr, spokeswoman for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, confirmed A Caring Hand is facing an audit as a result of the incident. Depending on the results of the audit, Forbing-Orr wrote in an email, the Division of Medicaid, as the payer of services, can suspend payment to the company, limit the company’s new participants, or terminate A Caring Hand’s Medicaid provider agreement.
However, the audit would not stop A Caring Hand from providing for private-paying customers, according to Forbing-Orr.
Nor are personal care service providers in Idaho, such as Hamadi, required to receive a license from the state, the Idaho Press reported in June. While she also said the department receives complaints every month against personal care service providers, she said many aren’t related to a patient being in danger.
Boise police opened their investigation into the incident on the day it occurred, and forwarded the results to the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, who then determined there was enough evidence to seek a warrant for Hamadi’s arrest.
Williams said police will arrest Hamadi on that warrant when they make contact with him.
Exploitation or abuse of a vulnerable adult is punishable by up to 10 years in prison in Idaho.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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