JOHNSON CITY (WATE) - A mistreatment investigation led to arrests and charges for five former employees of a Johnson City long-term healthcare facility.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation allegations the workers mistreated dependent adults at Appalachian Christian Village.
The Washington County Grand Jury handed down indictments against the accused on July 9.
Rebecca Blevins, 39, Jessica Ketterman, 22, of Elizabethton, and Jennifer Ketterman, 20, all of Elizabethton, were each indicted on two counts of abuse, neglect or exploitation of a dependent adult. They were arrested Monday
Amanda Adolphi, 33, of Gray, and Bonita Scott, 51, of Chucky, were each indicted on one count of failing to report abuse, neglect or exploitation of a dependent adult.
Adolphi was taken into custody Monday and Scott was arrested on Tuesday.
TBI opened the investigation in January after receiving information from the police department about the mistreatment allegations.
Multiple incidents were reported of the five employees working as certified nursing assistants, squirting syringes of water in residents' faces and other exposed areas of their bodies to intentionally agitate them.
A video and photographs were taken of some of the incidents between late December of last year and January.
The TBI said the employees were dismissed after admitting their involvement when the investigating agent confronted them.
The women were booked into the Washington County Detention Center on bonds of $25,000 each. They're scheduled to be in court on September 21.
Rebecca Blevins (source: TBI)
Jessica Ketterman (source: TBI)
Jennifer Ketterman (source: TBI)
Amanda Adolphi (source: TBI)
Bonita Scott (source: TBI)
