Horrific Abuse allegations at Desert Regional Center

Jakob Buele (Photo: 8 News Now)

Horrific Abuse allegations at Desert Regional Center

The Desert Regional Center, located on Jones and Charleston Blvds. is a state run hospital that serves as a treatment center for people suffering from severe intellectual disabilities and related conditions.

The service values of the Desert Regional Center, according to their website,

provides services that support people in achieving personal goals of independence and community participation. All people deserve respect and dignity and individuals are supported in exercising choices about the kinds of services they receive.

Jobs from Indeed

jobs by

There are some parents of adult children that are at the Desert Regional Center who are saying that there is horrific abuse taking place at the Desert Regional Center and that their children have the injuries to prove it.

They say that their children suffered from facial lacerations, chipped teeth, black eyes and severe bruising because orderlies are, in essence, either ordering the patients to fight, or goading them to fight, simply for their own entertainment.

The 8 News Now I-Team conducted an undercover investigation and found that even though the adult children spoke to police and filed reports, that nothing was done.

A state investigation was conducted into the abuse allegations at the Desert Regional Center and found that there was no wrongdoing on the part of the staff.

Michele Ferrall, the Deputy Director at Desert Regional Center denied the allegations of abuse by staff members and instead said that they service a “complex clientele”.

What exactly does that mean?  Because they service a “complex clientele”, is Farrell saying that it is OK that some of the adult children who are residents there have chipped teeth, black eyes and numerous bruises on their body?

Meantime the parents are saying that they were not even informed of their children’s injuries and that now the Desert Regional Center is severely limiting their visitation with their own children.

Abuse at State and City run hospitals unfortunately is nothing new.

In Brooklyn, New York, due to findings of abuse at Kings County Hospital, changes were made to administrative staff after numerous allegations were brought to light including staff abuse, excessive punishment and sexual abuse.

In Texas, so many abuse allegations were brought forth that a year long investigation was conducted by the group, “Disability Rights Texas”, resulting in a scathing report report just released called,  “Turning a Blind Eye”.

For the parents of children that were abused at Desert Regional Center Las Vegas, the parents feel that they are forced to leave their children in this state-run hospital since there are no other alternatives for them.

Related articles

• I-Team: Disabled Men Forced to Fight, Parents Say
• I-Team: More Money Wanted for Mental Health Care in Nevada
• Schools accused of operating secret ‘punishment rooms’ to deal with severely autistic children
• Mahoning County Children’s Services finds inconclusive evidence in investigation of alleged abuse of student

Follow