MEMPHIS, Tenn. --- A caregiver was taken into custody after Memphis Police say she got upset and poured boiling water on her patient, giving him second and third-degree burns.
Tina Vaughn, 42, is charged with Aggravated Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult and Assault.
According to reports, the victim lives in a group home and has intellectual and developmental disabilities, schizophrenia, ADHD, and deafness.
On January 24, the victim and Vaughn were inside the home when the victim decided to cook noodles on the stove.
Vaughn reportedly got upset with the patient and told him to go to the living room. When he sat on the couch, his caregiver threw the boiling water on him, causing burns to his face, neck, and back.
The victim told MPD he ran out of the apartment yelling. MPD says that Vaughn did not call the police or emergency services immediately after the incident, but she did call a supervisor.
The next day, Vaughn came to work and called the ambulance, which transported the victim to Regional One Burn Center, police say. At that time police wrote he was in non-critical condition and awaiting surgery for a skin graft.
He suffered second and third-degree burns to the right side of his face, shoulder, and right side of his back.
He gave a statement to a sign language interpretative and identified Vaughn as the person who threw water on him.
However, police also noted in a different report that the victim had given police conflicting stories as to how he was burned. At one point telling them it was an accident.
Vaughn told staff at the hospital he burned himself after tripping on a rug. A physician's assistant also told police the patient's wounds were consistent with spilling boiling water after tripping.
Tina Vaughn is set to appear in court Wednesday morning.
A man who said he is Vaughn's husband said Tuesday he is shocked by the allegations and says she did nothing wrong.
He says his wife has been working in the caretaking industry more than 15 years and loves what she does. She has never had any issues, is a dedicated employee and has actually won awards for her work, and has used her own money to help take care of some of her clients.
He says she genuinely cares about the person at the center of this report and has raised concerns about the living conditions where he was.
Advocates say it's crucial if there's suspicion of possible abuse, it's reported.
"I think it's incumbent on all of us, as responsible people to stand up," said Kim Daugherty, Director of Aging Commission of the Mid-South. "In the state of Tennessee all citizens of this state are required by law if we know of any vulnerable adult or child being mistreated to report that."
A representative with Vaughn's employer said the company did not have a comment. The company said Vaughn is no longer employed.
A spokesperson with the state of Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities confirms there is an open investigation into the incident.
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To report suspected abuse, call the state of Tennessee Adult Protective Services Agency at 1-888-277-8266.