EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) – Three women have been accused in a case of neglect involving a special needs individual who died in 2020.
According to a press release sent out by the Evansville Police Department, one suspect, Latavia Booker, 20, of Evansville, made a 911 call on January 5, 2020 stating that a client of hers was not breathing. EPD says the Evansville Fire Department and an ambulance responded to the call and determined that the client Booker spoke of, Robin Phillips, was dead. EPD says that officers were sent to a property on Stone Hedge Drive and one law enforcement official spoke with Booker. EPD says that Booker said that she worked for a developmental disabilities service as a Direct Support Professional.
Booker told police that she relieved another worker that day. Booker also told police that Phillips fell over. Booker said she put a protective helmet on Phillips and put her back in her room. She said the next time she checked on Phillips, she was unresponsive and she called 911.
According to EPD, Phillips’ care team met on January 3 and it was determined that she needed to be sent to the ER because she had not had a bowel movement in several days. Police say Victoria Brown, the program director, told Booker and Glenda Fields to take Phillips to the ER. Records indicate that neither Booker nor Fields took Phillips to the hospital, and Fields said it wasn’t her job.
The Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Phillips died from chronic and acute effects of chlorpromazine intoxication. EPD says the drug was prescribed to Phillips with managed distribution by staff from the home she was in.
According to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, Booker, Fields, and Brown have all been charged with Family Offense – Neglect of Dependent/Child Violations.
