A Phoenix assisted living facility has shut down after Adult Protective Services and the Phoenix Police Department launched investigations following reports of potential neglect to elderly residents.
Caring Hand Assisted Living was located inside a nondescript house near 15th Avenue and Union Hills.
When ABC15 went to the home as part of our investigation, we witnessed a resident walk off the property, we were told by employees that they had not been paid for over a month, and we saw an employee's texts alleging there was no food in the house.
Zach Crenshaw: And how many people are you caring for?
Caretaker: Five.
Crenshaw: Has Adult Protective Services come by?
Caretaker: We called them and we're just waiting on them to stop by.
Adult Protective Services stopped by later in the day, and for more than just one report.
One person who reported the assisted living facility was Noreen Passmore. She also called ABC15 for help.
Noreen put her father, Edwin Mackie, in the north Phoenix home back in early February.
A little less than a month later, she got a phone call from the live-in caretaker at the time.
"She said, 'Your dad's missing.' I said, 'What?'" recounted Passmore. "She said, 'Yeah, he was out in the backyard and he opened a gate that wasn't locked. He just unlatched it and opened it and took off, I have no choice but to call 911.' And I said, 'Please do.'"
Passmore, who lives in Prescott Valley and is unable to drive, was distraught as she waited for an update.
"It was just the worst feeling I've ever had my life. I was so helpless," said Passmore.
Fortunately, a Phoenix police officer found the 89-year-old wandering and by the end of the night, Mackie was back at the home.
Passmore though, had one requirement before sending her dad back.
"I told Kim, the owner, I said, 'Will you please put a lock on the gates?'" recalled Passmore.
Days later, when she visited the home, Passmore was dismayed when she said she noticed no lock on the gate.
"At that moment, I ripped my dad out of there and brought him home with me," she said.
Passmore reported the situation to Adult Protective Services.
New employees, hired after Mackie got out, told ABC15 in mid-April that another person also recently reported issues to APS.
Hours after ABC15 was there on April 18th, an APS investigator arrived and soon after called police to respond.
ABC15 obtained photos and video of the residents being removed that day.
Phoenix Fire confirmed they transported one person to a hospital.
Officers also got groceries from a local food bank, even though they noted some food was in the fridge.
The Arizona Department of Health Services said Caring Hand voluntarily surrendered its license on April 20th
We asked the manager Aries Williams, who goes by Kim, for an interview or comment but received none.
ABC15 is now looking into whether Williams is associated with other assisted living facilities and whether they will be investigated by the state.
