Bruce Odell Williams, 34, of Detroit has been bound over for trial at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice on two charges arising from the death of a group home resident that he was supposed to be caring for.
On Monday, 34th District Court Judge Brian Oakley held a special exam on the case and lowered Williams’ bond to $10,000 or 10% and he bonded out. The Circuit Court arraignment on the evidence was set for Feb. 27.
Sumpter Township Police Detective John Toth said the charges approved by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office were Homicide/Involuntary Manslaughter, a 15-year felony, and Vulnerable Adult Abuse, which could bring four years in prison.
Detective Toth said Sumpter Police received a 911 call at 8:44 a.m. Oct. 2, 2010 for “a male down” who was unresponsive and cold in the hallway of Christ Centered Home in the 22000 block of Clark Road.
When Officers Ruolo and Buccelato arrived they found Robert Egan, 38, of Monroe dead on the floor. Det. Toth said the “group” home was to care for just the one patient, who had severe mental issues, as well as being developmentally disabled.
Officer Buccelato found “something amiss” in the situation and called in Toth to take over the investigation. He interviewed all four workers that had been there for shift change and followed up with interviews of everybody involved.
“The person supposed to be providing care, unfortunately, went to bed,” Toth reported.
Toth said Egan got up during the night, went to the refrigerator and ate a raw pork chop 3”x3” in size, which lodged in his throat, blocking his airway. He was found in the bathroom and, according to the body position, had been dragged into the hallway. When police arrived, the body was in full rigor mortis, indicating he had died sometime during the night.
Toth said the prosecutor used the phrase, “but for the fact he was sleeping…” in the warrant.
But when Toth brought the warrants to court last year, “We lost all the key witnesses” who had relocated and Judge Oakley said they could not continue without the witnesses.
So, Toth obtained investigative subpoenas and went to the residences of the witnesses and rousted them out of bed early in the morning to make sure they could be found. Then, Monday’s exam was held and Williams was bound over.
Toth said the situation of mental health care in Michigan is terrible and, since many mental institutions closed, people are put in group homes where care givers have minimum training and are paid low wages with no insurance or benefits.
Toth said Williams didn’t want to work the night shift, but he had no choice and no other job.
Toth said the prosecution of Williams is the first step in the case.