David Machoka

Agnes Machoka

Margaret Adhiambo

The owners of Collegedale assisted living home have been arrested after police say they neglected and abused the eight elderly patients in their care.

Collegedale police reported that they started investigating Moraa's Assisted Living Home for Seniors in February after receiving reports of elder abuse. Several residents from the home had been transported to the hospital, where signs of abuse and neglect were discovered, said police spokesman Corporal Melvin Taylor.

Investigators found the converted home, located at at 8616 Apison Pike, was owned by David and Agnes Machoka and only employed one worker, Margaret Adhiambo, who was responsible for eight patients.

Adhiambo, who was unlicensed to administer medication or care for their needs, was often the only person on duty, police said. While Taylor said the Machoka's facility license allowed for this, as long as patients could administer their own medication. But investigators found none of the patients in a condition to do so.

Investigators also found two elderly patients who had been removed from the facility by suspicious family members had not been given critical medication they should have been receiving at Moraa's, said Taylor.

In one case, Taylor said, witnesses reported seeing Adhiambo grab a 96-year-old resident by the ankles and roughly shake them.

Medical records supported the witnesses' statement, Taylor said. The resident was also found to be severely dehydrated and suffering from a urinary tract infection.

David and Agnes Mochoka and Margaret Adhiambo have each been charged with two counts of physical abuse gross negligence and six counts of Willful Abuse, Neglect or Exploitation Prohibited.

All three suspects are being held on a $10,000 bond.

Taylor said all patients' families were notified of the arrests, and that all patients were transported to "more suitable facilities of care."