Woman pleads guilty to abusing adult with intellectual disabilities

An Arkadelphia, Ark., woman has pleaded guilty to adult abuse, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said.
Shavon Hale, 32, pleaded guilty in Clark County District Court. Hale has been sentenced to 90 days probation and will pay a $500 fine. She was also ordered to take anger management classes, Rutledge said.
Hale was caught on surveillance video pushing and yelling at an intellectually disabled resident in September while she was employed as a residential care technician at the Arkadelphia Human Development Center. The incident was reported to police, and she pleaded guilty to abuse of an adult, a Class B misdemeanor.
"I will not stand for individuals abusing or neglecting those living in any of Arkansas's residential human development centers," Rutledge said. "We will continue to punish these individuals for these horrible acts. Residents of these facilities should be provided with the highest quality care."
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit collaborated with the Arkadelphia Human Development Center, the Clark County Sheriff's Department and Prosecuting Attorney Blake Batson of the 9th East Judicial District to investigate and prosecute the case.
To report Medicaid fraud or abuse or neglect in residential care facilities, contact the Attorney General's Medicaid fraud hotline at 866-810-0016 or [email protected].