3 local caregivers charged with abusing man with disabilities, putting him in the hospital

MONESSEN, Pa. — Inside a home on Moffat Street in Monessen, police say three caregivers were abusing a man with disabilities due to a brain injury.

Another caregiver secretly recorded the alleged abuse, which put the man in the hospital and left him covered in injuries to his body and face.

Witnesses say the men abused him 5-15 times a day by doing some or all of the following:

• Calling him a baby
• Forcing him to suck his thumb
• Withholding food as a punishment
• Telling another aid that they had to be mean to him to get him to listen.

Police arrested Cody Nordberg, Thomas Vernet and Travis Rabe.

Videos allegedly show Vernet wrapping the victim in a blanket and sitting on him, dumping his drinks down the drain and making the victim watch.

The home was run by Taylor Maleski Homes. Channel 11 reached out to the owner for comment but haven’t heard back.

According to the criminal complaint, the workers told the emergency room doctor the victim got the injuries in a car accident.

We’re told the victim has new caregivers who were assigned immediately after these allegations surfaced and that he is doing well.

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