New Lawsuit Alleges Staff in a New York Group Home Abused, Neglected, and Discriminated Against Woman with Disabilities

KLLF filed a federal civil rights lawsuit today on behalf of S.M., a woman with disabilities who was abused, neglected, and discriminated against by staff members of a group home in New York operated by the Arc of Westchester.

S.M. is a 35-year-old woman living with cerebral palsy and other disabilities that cause her to use a wheelchair and experience urinary and fecal incontinence. She was placed in Arc’s Foxhall Residence for assistance with her needs in mobility, bathing, and toileting, and dressing.

The lawsuit alleges that, rather than providing S.M. with respect and care in a supportive living environment, Defendants—including Arc and several individual staff members—relentlessly targeted S.M. with neglect and abuse because of her disabilities.

According to the Complaint, staff members’ neglect caused S.M. to be hospitalized for five days for a serious foot injury, when they forced her to transfer herself from her wheelchair to an inaccessible transport van. As Defendants stood by, S.M. crawled on the hard metal floor and sustained severe trauma to her foot. Even after S.M. sustained a serious injury requiring hospitalization, the lawsuit alleges, staff continued to treat her this way. 

As the only resident using a wheelchair, S.M. was singled out and subjected to appalling mistreatment for her disabilities,” said S.M.’s lawyer, Ali Frick. “Arc staff’s repeated refusals to provide S.M. necessary accommodations caused her deeply painful and humiliating injuries.”

The Complaint also alleges that Defendants unleashed a constant barrage of actions designed to shame and denigrate S.M. for her disabilities. Staff openly refused to assist S.M. with wiping after urinating and defecating, leaving S.M. at risk of infection and living uncomfortably in her own filth. They also ignored S.M. when she said she needed to use the bathroom, only to berate and punish her when she could not control her bladder. Arc staff additionally directed sexually inappropriate comments at her and purposefully placed her in situations that exposed her naked genitals to other staff members and housemates.

“No one should be subjected to this level of dehumanization,” said attorney Alyssa Isidoridy. “Defendants’ abuse caused S.M. enduring trauma. It cannot go unchecked.” 

KLLF’s Ali Frick and Alyssa Isidoridy represent Mr. and Ms. Makris, as legal guardians of S.M.