Texas – A Texas woman was taken into custody in Tennessee last week and later charged with multiple charges, including aggravated negIect of an eIderly or vuInerable aduIt and negIect of a vuInerable aduIt after leaving vuInerable adults unattended in a bus she was driving from Texas to Virginia. While leaving the unidentified vuInerable adults, the woman had been staying in hotels overnight, Tennessee authorities said.
The investigation process began last week after officers responded to a medical emergency at a the location in Tennessee. There, they found a yellow bus towing a trailer containing three live animals (goats). Inside the bus were five inteIIectually disabled adults and one adult with dementia.
The passengers were living in inhumane conditions without running water or food, wearing dirty clothes, and showing signs of malnourishment. One passenger had sustained a critical injury the day before and had not received medical attention. All six individuals were transported to a hospital, where one later died.
The 61-year-old woman from Texas, Bernise, identified as the caregiver, admitted to Tennessee authorities that she had been staying in hotels overnight, leaving the vulnerable adults unattended in the bus. The bus lacked basic necessities, and the passengers were found in a space described as “uninhabitable and inhumane.”
Following her arrest, she was initially held on an $80,000 bond, which was later increased to $250,000.
According to the court documents, the elderly woman has a background in caregiving, having previously owned a business with her ex-husband that provided care for mentally and physically disabled individuals.
This case has raised serious concerns about the oversight and regulation of caregivers responsible for vulnerable populations. Authorities in Tennessee continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.