Woman pleads guilty to federal charge in disabled Fulton man’s death
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
A former caregiver of disabled Fulton man Carl DeBrodie pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of obstructing the investigation into DeBrodie's death.
Mary K. Paulo, a former employee of Second Chance Homes in Fulton, pleaded guilty in federal court in Kansas City to falifying documents to obstruct justice.
Authorities found DeBrodie's body encased in concrete in a storage unit in April 2017, months after he had last been seen. Two of them -- Sherry K. Paulo and Anthony R. Flores -- also pleaded guilty to federal charges related to DeBrodie's death in November.
They pleaded guilty to failing to provide medical care to DeBrodie, resulting in injury or death. Sherry Paulo also pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud in connection with actions taken to cover up DeBrodie's death.
“A vulnerable victim died because of the criminal conduct of those responsible for his care and custody. The defendant is being held responsible for her role in obstructing the investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death,” Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division said in a news release.
Mary Paulo admitted in her plea that her mother, Sherry Paulo, told her starting in summer 2016 to not come to work, though she was still paid, according to the release. Mary Paulo took another resident to one of DeBrodie's medical appointments and got a prescription in his name though she had not seen him for months, the release says.
Mary Paulo also admitted to signing documents in April 2017 as Second Chance was being sold saying that she had recently cared for DeBrodie and to telling police that she saw DeBrodie alive on April 16, 2017.
Mary Paulo’s brother, Anthony R.K. Flores, previously pleaded guilty to falsifying document, as well.
The fifth defendant, Shaina Osborne, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in state court in February 2019.
