Bellevue police arrested a 67-year-old caregiver in connection with an incident that left Donzell Harden with fourth-degree burns.
According to a police press release, Sarah S. Thomas, 67, is charged with third-degree assault. She was cited and released at her home Tuesday.
On Dec. 9, Bellevue police and rescue personnel responded to 607 W. Mission Ave. where 22-year-old Harden, a quadriplegic, had been scalded by hot water after being left unattended in the shower.
Thomas cared for Harden at one of 25 group homes run by Hands of the Heartland in Bellevue. She was fired last week.
Susan Chohany, the program director for Hands of the Heartland, said staff members at all of the group homes were undergoing retraining. And the company has ordered new shower stall guards for all the homes "for greater protection," she said.
"We are reviewing our safeguards and reviewing our compliance procedures to make sure nothing like this happens again."
Hands of the Heartland also has installed safety valves on all water heaters to ensure that the water doesn't rise above 115 degrees, Chohany said. She said she didn't know the temperature of the water that burned Donzell Harden.
"All of us here are praying for Donzell's recovery," Chohany said. "This is a tragic situation."
Harden had skin graft surgery last Wednesday at the Nebraska Medical Center, according to Sharon Becker, his legal guardian. He was burned on his back and lower part of his body.
In addition to having no use of his limbs, Harden was born with brain damage and is blind. Becker said he has the mental capacity of a 9-month-old child.
The group home where Harden lives had three residents and two round-the-clock caregivers.
— World-Herald News Service contributed to this report.
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