ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Authorities say several vulnerable adults were found living in an unsafe building in Orangeburg last month.
An Orangeburg Department of Public Safety investigation led officers to 487 Broughton St., which looks like a regular barber shop from the outside. But in the back, several adults lived in conditions that did not meet the code.
Chief Charles Austin from the Orangeburg Department of Public Services said the facilities were in terrible condition.
"The conditions were inadequate for the number of people that were at this location," said Chief Austin. "There were six people; there were two bathrooms; there was one person transported from that location; that person subsequently passed. We are now awaiting the results of an autopsy so a determination can be made about what caused the death."
RELATED: LIST: Midlands school districts moving to e-learning Tuesday due to severe weather
Beverly Pendarvis is the in-home service coordinator and supervisor at the Orangeburg County Council on Aging. She said if you have a family member in a care facility, you should check in on them frequently.
"Well, the biggest fear, of course, is that these are vulnerable people, and my fear always is that if some kind of abuse is being taken place or something is happening to them," said Pendarvis. "I mean, when I heard the story, it was absolutely heart-wrenching that somebody could even possibly do that, but unfortunately, that's the world we live in, so again, I say, family members, make sure you double check on your loved ones."
The caretaker, 40-year-old Shaneima Montgomery, has been charged with five counts of neglect of a vulnerable adult and financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.