Phoenix group home worker accused of taking victim home while he drank on the job
Group home worker accused of vulnerable adult abuse
Nuru Niyonkuru, 36, was hired to drive a vulnerable man from his group home to an appointment. He was arrested after police say he got drunk and left the man inside a vehicle. The victim later died at a hospital.
PHOENIX - A worker who was hired to drive a vulnerable man from his group home to an appointment was arrested after police say he got drunk and left the man inside a vehicle. The victim later died at a hospital.
What we know:
The incident happened on April 10 in Phoenix. According to court documents, 36-year-old Nuru Niyonkuru drove the man to his apartment where the victim watched TV while Niyonkuru drank alcohol.
Several hours later, Niyonkuru drove the man back to the group home and went inside, leaving the man inside the vehicle. The victim was later found "slumped over and unresponsive." The victim was pronounced dead at a hospital.
During an interview with police, Niyonkuru allegedly admitted to drinking alcohol and taking the victim to his apartment.
Nuru Niyonkuru
"[Niyonkuru] canceled the victims appointment and, instead, drove the victim to his apartment," court documents read. "[Niyonkuru admitted that his drinking was not appropriate and raised the victims safety and wellbeing. [Niyonkuru] knew it was against the companys policy to drink while taking care of a client. [Niyonkuru] also knew he was not supposed to take the victim to his residence."
Niyonkuru was booked into jail and is accused of vulnerable adult abuse. He is being held on a $250,000 cash-only bond.
What we don't know:
The victim was not identified. His cause of death is unknown, but temperatures that day in Phoenix reached 100 degrees.