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Man accused of beating autistic group home resident pleads guilty
By Conner Hammett, chammett@starlocalnews.com
A caretaker at an Allen group home who police say was caught on camera beating a young autistic man has pleaded guilty to one felony count of injury to a disabled person.
Michael Reginald Fuller, 41, of Allen, was arrested in June 2011 after police reviewed hidden camera footage that allegedly showed him striking Taylor Hartley, who was 22 at the time, in the face and body with his hands and a plastic toy rifle.
His plea was made before the judge May 22, and a sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 13.
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| Michael Fuller |
Karen said she contacted state authorities multiple times prior to installing the camera, but no charges were ever filed until she came to the Allen Police Department with the footage.
"They had pictures of the injuries, and they'd always come back saying it was inconclusive," Karen said.
The first investigation was in March 2010, when an employee from Allen High School reported Taylor came to school with bruises on his chest, buttocks and extremities, including a 10-inch-by-four-inch bruise on his buttocks. An Adult Protective Services investigation concluded the next day that the bruises were caused by Taylor "plopping down" on the floor of the group home's van from his seat and scooting on his buttocks to exit the vehicle. Allen PD records also show an APS referral dated Nov. 11, 2010 in which Taylor is listed as the victim and Fuller as the suspect.
The home on Meadow Creek is one of three owned and operated in the city of Allen by You-Ni-Que Homes. In May 2010, Frank Nerkowski, the former owner of the homes, was indicted for criminal negligence causing serious bodily injury after a resident in need of medical care waited nine hours to see a nurse. Another employee, Sylvia Williams, was indicted the same day for injury to a disabled person, a charge stemming from the same incident. Williams' trial is scheduled for June 11, while Nerkowski's trial has been rescheduled for July 23.
A representative from the Collin County District Attorney's office declined to comment on the sentence the office is seeking in the Fuller case because the case is still pending.
Fuller's attorney could not be reached for comment.
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