GREENWOOD, Ind. — An Indianapolis man is charged with physically abusing a man with autism under his care.
William F. Brooks Jr., 86, is charged with felony battery resulting in bodily injury to a disabled person.
According to recently released court documents, on Friday, July 5, an officer with the Greenwood Police Department was dispatched to an unidentified residence. The caller told the dispatcher that they wanted to speak with an officer about a caretaker possibly abusing a client earlier that morning.
The caller spoke with the officer and identified themselves as an employee of Community Integration Support Services (CISS). Court documents say the employee had recently become aware that Brooks, also an employee with CISS, had been abusing a patient who has autism.
The employee allegedly told the officer that Brooks had been taking care of this patient for "a long time."
Court documents say that the employee explained to the officer that a new trainee was with Brooks during the alleged incident. The trainee said they saw Brooks strike his client multiple times with his hands and also with a large flashlight. The trainee even took footage of the alleged incident and showed it to their supervisor.
The employee showed the video to the officer, who described the incident in court documents. According to the officer, Brooks was seen in the video physically punching his client in the chest and stomach. The trainee said they stopped the video before Brooks allegedly struck his client with a flashlight.
The client was described in court documents as a nonverbal man who is on the autism spectrum. The officer said he did not witness the client act aggressively in the video. Court documents say the employee reported the incident to Adult Protective Services.
After taking the employee's report, the GPD officer then contacted the trainee to take their statement.
According to court documents, the trainee said they saw Brooks enter his client's house and struck them multiple times in the head while the client was wearing a protective helmet. Court documents say the client had to receive a bath because the incident caused them to urinate themselves.
During the bath, court documents say the trainee alleged Brooks struck his client "multiple times with force in the torso." The trainee then told police that once the client was clean and dressed, Brooks put his hands around the client's neck, lifted them off the ground and threw them onto the bed. The client's neck was reportedly red following the incident.
Brooks then allegedly turned off the light in the client's room and began hitting them in the face and head with a large flashlight. The client reportedly suffered cuts to their lip, which caused significant bleeding.
After taking the trainee's statement, the officer contacted the Lawrence Police Department to advise them of what Brooks was accused of doing. Brooks' home address is listed in Lawrence.
Later, court documents say Lawrence police reportedly detained Brooks while he was shopping at the Lowe's hardware store in the 4400 block of South Emerson Avenue on Indy's south side.
The GPD officer met the LPD officers at the Lowe's where they had detained Brooks and he was read his Miranda rights, according to court documents.
Brooks allegedly denied punching his client to the GPD officer, saying his client is "strong" and that "you have to kinda block (them) or (they'll) knock you out with (their) weight."
When the officer asked Brooks about the flashlight, Brooks allegedly said he got the flashlight because his client doesn't like it.
Court documents say Brooks told the officer that he put the flashlight on his client's head to "let them feel the flashlight" because he believed his client would "come back" at him if he didn't. Brooks allegedly admitted that he "pushes" his client, saying "all you have to do is push, you don't really have to hit (them)," according to court documents.
Court documents say Brooks claimed his hands are "sometimes closed and sometimes they're open" in reference to how he pushes his client. While Brooks was being driven to the Greenwood Police Department, Brooks allegedly told the officer that he was "good at taking care of folks, been doing it a lot."
According to online court records, Brooks posted a $3,000 bond on July 5. His initial hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19 at 1 p.m.
