A couple in Osceola County, Marie Carenan and Ronald Pack, are accused of running 11 unlicensed living facilities across Polk and Osceola counties under the name ‘Cherish Home Care’. Detectives say five people have died in their care, with four deaths occurring since the investigation began last year.

Allegations of Abuse

Witnesses, including two detectives, a caregiver, and a man whose father died in the couple’s care, testified about the conditions and alleged abuse. The facilities reportedly housed 12 to 15 residents in three- to five-bedroom homes, with padlocks on doors, windows, pantries, and refrigerators. Caregivers were not allowed to call 911 directly and had to contact Ronald or Marie first.

One detective testified that a worker tased two residents using a taser provided by Ronald. A caregiver, Mandy Largent, who started as a resident and later became a caregiver, testified that Ronald asked for her bank account and financial information, which she refused to provide. She also alleged there was little food, no toilet paper, and that residents resorted to using socks and underwear for hygiene.

Prosecution’s Case

The prosecution said, ‘Unlicensed or not, people were abused.’ Text messages between Ronald and Marie were presented in court, including one where Ronald allegedly said he did not want to go to jail. Other messages showed workers informing the couple about the poor conditions, with some messages reportedly going unanswered.

The residents were described as elderly, some disabled, and even bedridden. Witnesses also claimed that Ronald and Marie were living a lavish lifestyle. The prosecution argued that the couple posed a threat to society due to their ties to the community, while the defense countered that much of the testimony was hearsay and noted that some victims died after leaving the couple’s care.

Original reporting: WESH Orlando — read the source article.