WASHINGTON — A Maryland man got his work vehicle stolen, while a passenger was inside. When he reported the car was stolen, the man never mentioned the passenger, who was a vulnerable adult in his care from a facility.
Kelly Barry, 25, was sentenced on Thursday for one count of negligence of a vulnerable adult. According to court documents, Barry worked for an assisted living facility for people with disabilities in Rockville. His job was to take individuals on outings in the local community such as bowling, movies, lunch..etc, for four to five hours a day, five times a week. Rather than taking the residents of this facility to have some fun, Barry used the company car to make food deliveries during those four to five hours.
Between June and October 2022, Barry was responsible for the care of one individual, a vulnerable adult who is non-verbal, autistic, and unable to care for himself.
On October 19, 2022, Barry took the company van to pick up his assigned resident. He then drove the van into Washington, D.C. and made five food deliveries. During his final delivery, Barry saw a masked man get into his van and drive away.
Barry called 911 immediately and told them his car had been stolen, but he left out a very important detail. The vulnerable adult that he was tasked to take on fun activities in the Rockville area, was still inside the vehicle.
Barry’s next call was to his job to tell them what had happened. He managed to tell his employers that the man he was supposed to be looking after was taken with the car. He also told them he hadn’t told the police of this detail. The care facility told him to call the police back and report the adult missing. He called the authorities back but still omitted the fact that the vulnerable man was taken with the car.
Three and half hours after the car was stolen, the vulnerable adult was found walking barefoot in the middle of traffic on the I-495 Capital Beltway. The man was taken to hospital for treatment shortly after.
Barry was sentenced Thursday to 180 days in prison, 14 months of probation, 90 hours of community service, and is never allowed to work with anyone who cannot care for themselves.
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