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'I don’t think I’ll ever get over it': Friend remembers disabled Boise man who died after he was left in hot bath

Boise Police are now searching for the caregiver involved.

BOISE, Idaho — The last few months have been difficult for Joseph Rubich. 

“Have you ever been heartbroken before? I thought I had, apparently not,” said Rubich, who was Benjamin Reed’s friend and family care provider. 

Rubich lost his friend last May after police say, personal care aide Omar Hamadi left Reed in a bath filled with scalding water that left burns on 30% of his body.

“Having to take a shower should not be the end of anything, it was completely neglect,” Rubich said.

Reed, who had Huntington's disease, died 11 days later. 

“I don’t know what the kid was thinking, his focus wasn’t care, it was just a job to him,” Rubich said. 

As of Wednesday, Boise Police were searching for Hamadi.  He is wanted on suspicion of adult-abuse, exploitation or neglect of a vulnerable adult resulting in bodily harm. Hamadi was employed by Boise-based home health care company A Caring Hand.

RELATED: Boise police looking for personal care aide they say left man in scalding bath, causing fatal burns

KTVB reached out to the company and was told the only person who could comment was unavailable until Monday.

“If I saw Omar standing right here, I’d probably want to be upset but tell him he's forgiven in my heart,” Rubich said. “He really took something from me that can’t be replaced.”

According to Rubich, Reed’s mother is now in the process of filing a lawsuit for wrongful death against A Caring Hand. 

“I just feel so useless, like an empty bag blowing in the wind, I don’t think I’ll ever get over it,” Rubich said.

RELATED: Meridian daycare shuts down after multiple violations, but the owner still operates two others

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