PD: Caregivers abuse brother to death in Phoenix

PD: Caregivers abuse brother to death in Phoenix


June 5: Phoenix police arrested Carlena Pinkerton and her husband Joshua for abusing her brother to death while under their care.


Posted: 06/05/2012



•By: Erisa Nakano

PHOENIX - Phoenix police say they arrested a woman and her husband for abusing her brother to death while under their care.



According to Phoenix police Officer James Holmes, the suspects were identified as 27-year-old Carlena Molina Pinkerton and 31-year-old Joshua Edward Pinkerton.



The victim, 22-year-old James Roy Moore, was mentally disabled and the suspects were his legal caregivers, Holmes said.



Moore was Carlena Pinkerton’s brother.



On Friday, the suspects reportedly drove Moore to the hospital and left him there.



That’s when medical staff saw that Moore had two black eyes, closed head injuries, bruising all over his body, and open pattern wounds all over, Holmes said.



Medical staff then reportedly diagnosed Moore with several fractures and dislocations to his nose, right hip, right femur, and right arm.



Holmes said Moore also had a collapsed lung, acute renal failure due to dehydration, malnutrition, and sepsis because the wounds were infected and had “flesh-eating bacteria.”



He also had an inch-long object in his throat, Holmes said.



The hospital called Phoenix police because the injuries were suspicious, he said.



After attempts to save Moore’s life at the hospital, he was pronounced dead around 9:30 a.m. Friday.



Phoenix police detectives then located the suspects at their home near Thomas Road and 55th Avenue.



The Pinkertons were interviewed and denied knowing about any injuries except a small scrape on Moore’s nose, Holmes said.



Police then served a search warrant at the home and found several indications supporting the abuse, including a 2-feet-by-4-feet “heater” room containing only a water heater and a drain.



Holmes said evidence indicated that Moore was locked up in that room for periods of time.



The room was secured by an outside-only accessible dead bolt-type lock with no door handles, and it was covered in what appears to be blood spatter from the victim, Holmes said.



He said there appeared to be feces in the drain and indications of restraint.



There was also another room in the home with indications of restraint, Holmes said.



The Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office later found signs of ongoing “torture” from old scarring, old healed fractures, and malnutrition issues.



When Moore died, he was 6-feet tall and weighed only 100 pounds, Holmes said.



The Pinkertons were arrested Monday and charged with offenses related to vulnerable adult abuse and second degree murder.

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_phoenix_metro/central_phoenix/pd-caregivers-abuse-kill-brother-in-phoenix