Probe leads to murder charge

Caregiver jailed in the death of disabled man

By: Monte Mitchell | JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: October 21, 2010

WILKESBORO

A caregiver at a group home was arrested yesterday and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the Sept. 29 death of a developmentally disabled resident while on an outing.

An initial death investigation found that Donnie “Butch” Phillips, 50, died after choking on food, but police were later contacted about the circumstances and began a criminal investigation, Wilkesboro Police Chief Robert Bowlin said.

Brittany Carlyle Parks, 22, of Cub Creek Apartments was arrested yesterday and charged in connection with Phillips’ death, police said. She was being held in the Wilkes County Jail until a bond hearing at her first court appearance this morning.

Phillips lived at ResCare, a small residential group home at 1443 Old N.C. 60.

Parks was a caregiver who was supposed to be taking Phillips and another resident on a trip to Walmart on Sept. 29, Bowlin said, but the investigation found that Phillips was actually at Cub Creek Apartments — the complex where Parks lives — and was already in medical distress when he was taken from the complex, put into a van and driven away.

Bowlin said that Parks ignored requests to call 911 while at the apartment complex, but he didn’t say who made the requests.

Parks drove toward the group home; she was near the Broadway Volunteer Fire Station on N.C. 115 near North Wilkesboro when she called 911, authorities said. A dispatcher recommended that she meet emergency responders at the fire station.

Wilkes Emergency Medical Services arrived at the station. They later reported that Phillips showed no signs of life. He was officially pronounced dead at Wilkes Regional Medical Center just before 6 p.m.

The cause of death was listed as a lack of oxygen, and a medical examiner reported that Phillips had choked on food.

Bowlin said that he investigation is continuing and that authorities are still trying to determine where Phillips died.

Bowlin said that the investigation stemmed from a concerned person who contacted police about the action or inaction related to Phillips’ death.

“When someone is in your legal care and custody you’re required to take care of them, and when they’re in danger, you’re required to get them help,” Bowlin said. “In this case, it was not done in an expeditious manner to save a life.”

mmitchell@wsjournal.com

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