Found Safe WA - 4 Vulnerable Adults & 2 Caregivers, DSHS Office, Tacoma/Spanaway, 23 Aug 2021

hollye

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VULNERABLE ADULTS, CAREGIVERS MISSING IN SPANAWAY
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Our detectives need your help to locate four missing vulnerable adults who have not been seen or heard from by their families in several days. The four missing adults all suffer from physical and mental health conditions that require 24/7 care and supervision; two of the individuals are believed to be non-verbal and may not be able to communicate who they are or if they need help. Additionally, detectives have not been able to contact or locate the two caregivers that were last seen with the four missing vulnerable adults.

The four missing vulnerable adults were last seen at the DSHS Office in the City of Tacoma at approximately 2:50 p.m. on Monday August 23, 2021. The missing individuals were seen in a vehicle with the two caretakers from their adult family home; the vehicle was described as a silver minivan that was possibly a Chrysler. At that time, one of their caretakers reportedly expressed concerns for her safety and for the safety of the clients in her adult family home, and was looking for a place to take her clients.

Since leaving the office, the caretaker and her clients have not returned to their adult family home in Spanaway. Their families have not seen or talked to them for at least 5 days. They cannot be reached by cell phone and their current whereabouts are unknown. We believe that the caretakers may have transported the group to an unknown location in a blue minivan and/or a silver minivan. They may be at a care facility, medical facility, hotel, group home, or out of the area.

MISSING VULNERABLE ADULTS:
Paula Daneri, 44 years old, white female, 5’3”, 96 lbs., gray hair, brown eyes
Vaiula Vaiula Jr., 59 years old, pacific islander male, 5’8”, 180 lbs., brown hair, brown eyes
Anthony Houck, 63 years old, white male, 6’, 220 lbs., brown hair, blue eyes
Tooraj Aflatooni, 59 years old, male, 5’8”, 219 lbs., gray hair, brown eyes

MISSING CARETAKERS:
Nicole Emanuel, 46 years old, black female, 5’1”, 215 lbs., black hair, brown eyes
Jessica Newkirk, 33 years old, black female, 4’9”, 120 lbs., black hair, brown eyes

Our detectives are concerned for the safety and welfare of the four vulnerable adults, as well as their two caretakers. We are asking the public to be on the lookout for all of these individuals and to contact law enforcement if you have any information on their whereabouts. Please be responsible and respectful with your comments, as we are very early into this investigation and do not have any additional details on the circumstances of why they may have left the area or where they may be located. We just want to make sure that everyone is safe and help the families to get in contact with their loved ones.

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Deputies search for 4 missing, vulnerable adults and their 2 caregivers

So was the question of safety due to another resident, a staff person, or an outside source?

Having worked in group homes for several years, I can’t imagine up and taking the residents somewhere without the a lot of planning.

Were the residents’ Meds taken with them? Clothing?

Are there other residents that were left behind?

It sounds like only one staff person & the 4 residents were at the office. How did the other staff person come into play?

I’m having trouble wrapping my head around any of this. There are so many questions!
 
Sounds like they tried to do the right thing and relinquish care. I’m wondering if their is an outside threat from someone the CG’s know. If they went to the trouble to pack their clients up I’m hopeful they are hiding out somewhere. This is surely a group that would be obvious to point out out in public. Hoping for the best.
 
Per Piece County Sheriff's FB page, they all have been located at a hotel and are safe. No further info.

Thank goodness!

***UPDATE 8/25/21, 11:43am***
"All six individuals have been located at a hotel in Tacoma and are safe. Adult Protective Services and our detectives are talking to them to figure out why they left their residence. They were located after DSHS received an email from one of the caregivers this morning telling them they were at the hotel. Thank you to everyone who shared this and help press us get the word out. "
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Caretakers arrested.

Deputies from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department arrested two caretakers Wednesday afternoon who they suspect kidnapped four vulnerable adults in their care.

Sisters Nicole Emanuel, 46, and Jessica Newkirk, 33, were both arrested and booked into jail for investigation of four counts of kidnapping and four counts of criminal mistreatment, sheriff’s department spokesperson Sgt. Darren Moss said.

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/crime/article253746953.html
 
I’m confused. Caregivers told APS that the 4 adults’ safety was at risk. APS declined to take the adults. Caregivers took adults to a hotel. Caregivers told APS that the adults were at the hotel. Were caregivers trying to protect them? If so, from what? Or were caregivers just trying to “dump” the adults and fabricated the story about a safety risk? There’s a lot missing here. JMO.
 
Looks like there would be no charges in the case.

"We have reviewed the case and decided we will not be filing charges at this time, but the investigation is on-going. The suspects, two state-contracted caretakers, were booked on suspicion of Kidnapping and Criminal Mistreatment. At least one of the caregivers appears to be a vulnerable adult.

"A kidnapping charge is problematic because the main caregiver, who was clearly in distress, tried to turn the adults in her care over to the state when she went to DSHS seeking help. A criminal mistreatment charge requires evidence that someone was deprived the necessities of life, which the investigation at this point has not shown. If follow-up investigation finds such evidence, we can revisit that issue.

"It is regrettable that a caregiver seeking help from DSHS was denied it, and that fact makes proving a case like this beyond a reasonable doubt problematic. We are gratified to know these vulnerable adults are safe and are in new placements."

No charges for caretakers after 4 vulnerable adults went missing for days in Pierce County
 

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