Body found in Fulton storage unit ID’d as missing man
The Fulton Police Department said the Boone/Callaway County Medical Examiners Office has positively identified the deceased body found April 24 as Carl DeBrodie.
DeBrodie was reported missing from his group home on the morning of April 17. Investigators suspect DeBrodie had been missing for longer than originally reported due to the decomposition of the body.
In a statement Friday, the Department of Mental Health announced that it has started its own investigation in conjunction with law enforcement into the Second Chance Homes of Fulton, LLC. Director Mark Stringer said the department ended all remaining contracted services with Second Chance after learning Debrodie was missing longer than reported.
“We at the Department of Mental Health are deeply saddened and disturbed by the disappearance of Carl Lee DeBrodie,” Stringer said. “We extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends.”
On Wednesday, ABC 17 News filed a records request under the Missouri Sunshine Law with the Department of Mental Health requesting all reported complaints and inspection documents involving Second Chance from 2007 to 2017. According to family members, DeBrodie has been living at the group home for the past 9 years.
The department responded to the request Friday, providing the group home’s approved licensure and certification applications every two years from 2006 to 2016.
The documents show the Department of Mental Health approved Second Chance for continued certification as a Medicaid Waiver provider of Individualized Support Living services in each application with some deficiencies along the way.
According to the documents, in 2008, officials with the Department of Mental Health discovered one resident hadn’t been to the dentist since 2006. The resident told department members that he had pain in two spots in his mouth and that it had been going on for a ‘couple of months.’
The department also found that medications weren’t available at one of the group home sites and expired at another site.
During that same inspection, officials noted the “Homes were clean, well maintained and nicely decorated.”
The department found no deficiencies in the group home from 2010 through 2014.
During it’s most recent license renewal process in 2016, the Department of Mental Health said Second Chance failed to provide a follow up visit to the dentist for one of its residents to get fillings.
In its required Plan of Correction, the group home responded and said the resident’s Medicaid did not cover the expense at the time.
The department also found a non-working smoke detector in one of the group home sites.
In the records request, the department also provided two investigative reports that were deemed substantiated against two Second Chance employees. The incidents were investigated in 2007 and 2008.
According to the documents the employees were accused of swearing at or in front of the Second Chance residents.
An investigation was requested in October 2007 after a medical aide at the group home was accused of swearing in front of two residents and threatening to harm another for allegedly taking his cigarettes.
Another investigation was launched in December 2008 after a direct care worker accused a resident of sneaking into his home and stealing his cake. The worker reportedly confronted the resident and called him a “damn liar” after the resident denied taking the cake.
