A Pennsylvania couple has been arrested and charged with allegedly starving, beating, and abandoning a 20-year-old woman with Down syndrome outside in cold rain for approximately four hours after she took their Goldfish crackers, according to the Delaware County District Attorney's Office.
Yahnae Clegg-Brown, 31, and Naiyr 'Hasan' Sanders, 35, were taken into custody Tuesday following an investigation that authorities say revealed a pattern of systematic abuse against the vulnerable adult in their care.
Background
The investigation began on April 25 when an anonymous caller reported what appeared to be a child crying on the front steps of a Colwyn home for about four hours in 40-degree weather with steady rain, according to authorities. Police later determined the person outside was a 20-year-old woman with Down syndrome who had been placed in the defendants' care.
Officers found the victim in distress, soaked through and clutching a trash bag full of clothes. She told an officer she was injured, prompting emergency medical responders to transport her to a hospital, where investigators said she was found to have an eye injury, multiple marks on her body and signs of malnourishment.
According to court records, the confrontation that prompted police involvement began after the woman allegedly took Goldfish crackers belonging to Clegg-Brown and Sanders. Ring camera footage reportedly captured the defendants mocking her as she pleaded to be let back inside after being thrown out of the home with her belongings packed into trash bags.
The Investigation
Hospital staff told investigators the woman weighed just 82 pounds, describing her as 'extremely thin and malnourished,' according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Delco Times. She was also soaked in urine, had skin sores, significant hair loss and repeatedly asked for food before eating an entire meal once it was provided.
The affidavit alleges that witnesses told detectives the woman lost between 40 and 50 pounds while living with the defendants. Prosecutors claim Clegg-Brown beat her on the head and back whenever she tried to take food, while meals were limited to noodles, oatmeal or leftovers from other members of the household. She was also allegedly required to eat on the floor while everyone else sat at the table.
Detectives learned the woman had not received regular medical care or attended school during the roughly two years she lived with Clegg-Brown and Sanders despite requiring treatment for several medical conditions, according to court documents.
Prosecutors allege the victim was forced to stay in a room which contained bunk beds with no sheets, blankets, or pillows and a deteriorating mattress. Video footage recovered from the home allegedly shows Naiyr 'Hasan' Sanders pushing the victim down concrete steps and shutting the door in her face. Another video reportedly captures Sanders punching the victim on the right side of her face.
The Charges
Both defendants are charged with abuse and neglect of a care-dependent person, court records show. Sanders also faces a charge of simple assault. They remain jailed after failing to post 10% of their $250,000 bail, which amounts to $25,000 each.
Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse called the allegations deeply troubling in a statement to media outlets.
'It is heartbreaking to see a vulnerable member of our community suffer the abuse and neglect described in this case,' Rause said. 'Those entrusted with another person's care have a responsibility to protect them. To have systematically abused a young woman in this way is beyond comprehension.'
Key Takeaways
- Yahnae Clegg-Brown, 31, and Naiyr 'Hasan' Sanders, 35, charged with abuse and neglect of a care-dependent person
- Victim is a 20-year-old woman with Down syndrome who weighed just 82 pounds when found by authorities
- Allegedly lost between 40-50 pounds during her approximately two years in the defendants' care
- Ring camera footage allegedly captured the confrontation after she took their Goldfish crackers
- Video evidence reportedly shows Sanders pushing victim down steps and punching her
What's Next
A preliminary hearing for both defendants is scheduled for July 16, according to court records. The Delaware County District Attorney's Office has indicated it will pursue the full weight of the law against the couple. Investigators are asking anyone with additional information about the case to contact local authorities.