'Management knows': Former caregiver details 'horrifying' experience working at Milwaukee group home
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A former caregiver of a Milwaukee group home under fire after allegations of years of abuse and neglect is sharing their experience working for Helping Hands on 75th.
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The caregiver, who said they worked for the organization for more than two years before quitting in 2022, spoke with CBS 58 on the condition of anonymity, adding they wanted to come forward so the public knows what's happening to some of our most vulnerable communities.
CBS 58 originally broke the story last weekend, after cellphone video surfaced appearing to show a caregiver violently hitting his client.
A co-owner at one of the Helping Hands locations told CBS 58 on Tuesday that the caregiver in the video has since been fired.
Neighbors have also shared their experiences living next to the homes, that have six locations listed under the same ownership according to the Wisconsin State Department of Health Services.
#NEW: We're continuing our investigation into years of alleged abuse at several #Milwaukee group homes under the same ownership. Only on @cbs58 at 5p, a former caregiver of 2+ years anonymously shares their experience working at the "house of horrors." pic.twitter.com/GTbHq19Q5J
— Ellie Nakamoto-White (@ellienw_news) September 6, 2023
"I don't even know where to start, where to end, where to start," the former employee said. “I left because I knew that it was going to hit the fan and I actually did not want to be part of that.”
The homes are supposed to be safe places for autistic and special needs adults, but the caregiver said it's the opposite, starting with claims of unqualified and untrained staff.
“They hire them on a Saturday, they come Sunday," the caregiver said. "I know for a fact that they’ve hired people straight out of jail, with no certifications, just to have a job.”
The caregiver then confirmed reports CBS 58 had heard about employees smoking marijuana while on the job.
"Always high. You can smell it coming in," they said. “They come with their blankets and pillows, with pajama pants, and go to sleep.”
The caregiver continued that they had witnessed several instances of verbal and physical abuse from the other staff members toward clients.
One instance, they said, involved hitting someone multiple times with a broom.
“When you hit someone so many times with one object, you pick that object up again, they’re going to be so scared to get hit again they’re going to sit down," the caregiver said.
They added that clients don't always get their required medication and that some staff members falsify medical documents to say they gave the medicines.
According to the caregiver, some managers were also reported for not only sexually assaulting younger female employees, but clients, as well.
“A male caregiver was accused of raping a client. A female client," they said. "Management knew. She told and told every caregiver that was there.”
The former employee then went on to claim they didn't even receive enough money for clients' meals, recalling a weekly budget of around $150 dollars that was meant to feed four people, with three meals a day and snacks.
“The clients never get new anything. Most of the time we’re feeding the clients with our money," the caregiver said.
They went on to state that they have personally reported abuse allegations to the state DHS and to the organization's owners and other upper management, but that no solution was ever found.
“I know this sounds so fictitious, I know this sounds like unbelievable, I know people might say, 'they’re lying, why did they let this go on so long,'" they said. "I want people to know that things have been reported.”
CBS 58 learned management held a staff meeting on Wednesday morning after several stories had already aired.
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