"Disabled in Danger: Raul's story"

INVESTIGATIVE CATEGORY

WFAA-TV
11/04/2021

Since 2018, WFAA-TV has been airing stories showing how intellectually disabled men and women in group homes or host homes have been abused, neglected and even killed with no consequences.

Last November, we aired our latest installment of "Disabled in Danger" featuring the heart-wrenching story of Raul Olguin. He was removed from his mother's care on a bogus abuse allegation, and put in the care of a woman who either couldn't, or wouldn't, feed him. Taxpayers, meanwhile, were footing the bill for his care. When he died three months later, he weighed just 85 pounds and an autopsy found he starved to death. A WFAA investigation discovered that the caretaker he was placed with should never have been licensed to care for disabled individuals after she hid an out-of-state felony conviction in which she admitted stealing federal taxpayer money. Texas officials closed the abuse case on Olguin's death without anyone being held criminally liable leaving his mother with heartache and a bevy of unanswered questions.

Since 2018, our stories have featured a man with autism stabbed 85 times with a screwdriver, a caregiver who made himself beneficiary on a client's life insurance policy that he then tried to collect on after the man died, and deaths where the state blocked all access to records citing "privacy" even when family members demanded answers.

Our work revealed that Texas does little to vet those trusted to care for the most vulnerable Texans. And when allegations of abuse do surface, Texas allows accused caretakers to continue working. WFAA advocated for a change in state law that would prevent people from acting as caretakers while under investigation for abuse and neglect, and plan to continue these efforts in January during the 88th session of the Texas Legislature.

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Here's how the Raul Olguin story appeared on wfaa.com: A man with severe autism weighed just 85 pounds when he died in taxpayer-supported care. An investigation was ‘inconclusive.’ His mother wants answers:

LINK to additional content online

Here are our other "Disabled in Danger" stories:

September 2018: He was stabbed 85 times with a screwdriver, now questions raised over safety of disabled

February 2019: 'He's not related to us': How did a group homeowner become an intellectually disabled man's beneficiary?

March 2019: Dallas-area lawmakers propose legislation for new power to suspend bad caretakers

May 2019: Special needs families: 10 years too long to wait for state help

October 2019: 'This is an outrage': Mother of autistic man angry Texas still slow to suspend bad caretakers

December 2019: They were hurt while living in group homes and later died. What happened? State law says you can't know

Submitted by Jason Trahan.