A Phoenix group home caregiver has been charged with vulnerable adult abuse after allegedly using a washcloth and socks to gag a nonverbal man with cerebral palsy, leaving red marks on his face and ligature marks on his neck, according to court documents.
Mark Sampson, 31, was a certified caregiver at the facility when he allegedly committed the assault on March 19. He was arrested and charged on June 24 with vulnerable adult abuse under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury. He is being held on a $25,000 secured bond and has denied the allegations.
Background
The victim is a non-ambulatory, nonverbal man with cerebral palsy who relies entirely on caregivers for his daily needs. According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by KNXV, the man's condition leaves him with extreme contracture of his arms and hands, resulting in little to no use of his fine motor skills. His physical limitations rendered him completely unable to remove the gag or call for help during the alleged assault.
The group home is located in Phoenix, Arizona. Sampson had been providing care to the victim when the incident allegedly occurred on March 19. The case came to light when staff at the facility discovered the victim and transported him to a local hospital for medical evaluation.
The Investigation
Ryan Dill, assistant attorney general with the Arizona Attorney General's Office, described the alleged abuse during Sampson's court appearance last week. According to Dill, photographs taken of the victim showed disturbing evidence of the assault.
"There was a washcloth stuffed in the victim's mouth, and two socks were tied together around the victim's head to the point where it left red marks on the victim's face," Dill explained, according to KNXV. "Pictures show the victim absolutely terrified."
Medical examination revealed abrasions around much of the victim's mouth and ligature marks on the sides of his neck, consistent with the alleged method of restraint. The victim's inability to move his contracted arms or speak meant he was completely at the mercy of his caregiver during the incident.
Sampson has reportedly denied gagging the victim, instead claiming someone orchestrated the accusations against him in an apparent attempt to get him fired from his position. "Some sort of setup," Sampson said during his court appearance last week.
Key Takeaways
- Mark Sampson allegedly used a washcloth stuffed into the victim's mouth and two socks tied around his head to gag a nonverbal man with cerebral palsy on March 19
- The victim has extreme contracture of his arms and hands, making him unable to remove the gag or call for help due to being nonverbal
- Medical evaluation revealed abrasions around the victim's mouth and ligature marks on his neck
- Sampson was charged June 24 with vulnerable adult abuse under circumstances likely to produce death or serious physical injury
- He is held on $25,000 secured bond and has denied the allegations, claiming he was set up by someone wanting him fired
What's Next
Sampson remains in custody pending further court proceedings. The Arizona Attorney General's Office is prosecuting the case, which involves charges that carry significant penalties given the vulnerable status of the alleged victim. Court dates for preliminary hearings or trial have not yet been scheduled publicly. The investigation was conducted with evidence including medical records, photographs, and witness statements from facility staff who discovered the victim.