Latest news with #DaLomba
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
Autistic woman's guardians sue caregiver, group home for negligence
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — The family of a nonverbal autistic woman who went missing for five days last month is suing her former caregiver and the group home where she lived for not taking proper care of her. The lawsuit, filed in Providence Superior Court Friday, accuses 43-year-old Roberta Gerard of 'placing her own wants above her duties and responsibilities' by leaving Linda DaLomba in her car unattended for two hours while getting her nails done in Cranston. DaLomba's court-appointed guardians, Maria Canuto and Sandra Nasabzadeh, are also suing the Seven Hills Foundation — the nonprofit in charge of Seven Hills Rhode Island, the group home where she lived at the time. The lawsuit argues that the Seven Hills Foundation and Seven Hills Rhode Island 'created a work environment that emboldened the reckless behavior demonstrated and carried out by Roberta Gerard.' SEE ALSO: Lawmakers propose 'PURPLE Alert' for missing Rhode Islanders with disabilities Investigators believe DaLomba, 45, got out of Gerard's car in the nail salon parking lot and walked down the street to an unlocked vehicle, where she remained until she was discovered five days later. DaLomba's disappearance triggered an extensive citywide search, and detectives began fearing the worst after Gerard kept providing them with conflicting statements regarding DaLomba's potential whereabouts. Thankfully, a mechanic with the Cranston Fire Department went outside to jumpstart his family friend's car and found DaLomba lying down in the backseat. He had heard about DaLomba's disappearance on the news and called the police. The lawsuit notes that, had DaLomba not been found by the mechanic, she 'would undoubtedly have passed away,' since she had been without food, water and vital medications for several days. BACKGROUND: Caregiver was at nail salon when autistic woman went missing Gerard was eventually taken into custody and charged with abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult with severe impairments, as well as falsely reporting a crime and obstruction of an officer in the execution of duty. The lawsuit accuses Gerard of leaving DaLomba with family and friends 'who were not authorized or permitted to supervise her,' but does not elaborate further to support that claim. 'This was not the first instance of Roberta Gerard disregarding her responsibilities or leaving Linda DaLomba unsupervised,' the lawsuit notes. The lawsuit also asserts that Seven Hills Rhode Island, Gerard's employer, knew its employees 'were not adequately educated, licensed or trained to provide acceptable standards of care' to dependent adults with developmental disabilities. Seven Hills Rhode Island 'knew or should have known that its employees … were willfully and intentionally failing to care for, supervise and attend to' DaLomba, the lawsuit continues. MORE: Cranston honors man who found missing autistic woman The lawsuit concludes that DaLomba was 'forced to endure pain and suffering' and was 'severely and permanently injured' as a result of Gerard's negligence. DaLomba's guardians are seeking relief for the personal and psychological injuries she suffered at the hands of Gerard and Seven Hills Rhode Island. 12 News has reached out to the Seven Hills Foundation regarding the lawsuit, but has not yet heard back. The lawsuit was first reported by The Boston Globe. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
Lawmakers propose new ‘PURPLE Alert' for missing Rhode Islanders with disabilities
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — State lawmakers have introduced legislation that would establish a statewide notification system to assist police in future searches for missing individuals with intellectual disabilities. The legislation, introduced by Rep. Tina Spears and Sen. Todd Patalano, would create a so-called 'PURPLE Alert,' which would function similarly to the state's existing AMBER and Silver alert systems. 'This is a missing piece in our statewide system of care for the health and safety of adults with disabilities,' said Spears, who's the executive director of the Community Provider Network of Rhode Island. The PURPLE Alert would only be activated for missing adults with physical or neurological disabilities that are serious enough to warrant concern for their immediate safety and wellbeing. The legislation comes after Linda DaLomba, a 45-year-old nonverbal autistic woman, went missing for four days and was eventually found curled up in the back seat of a parked car. 'Our recent experience in Cranston showed clearly that we need an alert program that is tailored to the specific needs of adults with more serious disabilities in our community who rely on caregivers in their daily lives,' said Patalano, who's also a major with the Cranston Police Department. 'This is a tool that I sincerely hope we will not have to use often, but it is important that we establish a working protocol now before the next time we are on the clock with a missing individual.' RELATED: Caregiver was at nail salon when autistic woman went missing Other states have already implemented similar alert systems, including Florida, Georgia, New York and Texas. DaLomba vanished while her caregiver was visiting a nail salon in the city, according to police. Investigators believe she got out of the car in the parking lot and walked down the street to the unlocked vehicle, where she remained until she was discovered. Her disappearance triggered an extensive citywide search, and detectives began fearing the worst as the caregiver continued to provide them with conflicting statements regarding DaLomba's potential whereabouts. Thankfully, a mechanic with the Cranston Fire Department went outside to jumpstart his family friend's car and found DaLomba laying down in the backseat. He decided to call the police after hearing about DaLomba's disappearance on the news. SEE ALSO: Cranston honors man who found missing autistic woman DaLomba's caregiver, 43-year-old Roberta Gerard, has since been arrested and charged with abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult with severe impairments, as well as falsely reporting a crime and obstruction of an officer in the execution of duty. She was released on $5,000 surety bail pending her next court date, which is slated for June. State Rep. Christopher Paplauskas recently told 12 News he would be introducing legislation to create a similar notification system, which he planned to call the 'Linda Alert.' He is not currently listed as a sponsor on Spears' proposal for the PURPLE Alert. Patalano said law enforcement would be in charge of determining whether a missing individual's disabilities are serious enough to warrant issuing the alert. Officers would also review appropriate documentation from the missing individual's family, legal guardian or long-term care facility. The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) would be tasked with developing the PURPLE Alert system, as well as the policies and procedures for activating it. 'An alert catches people's attention and prompts action,' said Joanne Quinn, executive director of the Autism Project. 'It gives urgency to a situation and, when the community reacts quicker and takes the missing person alert seriously, people will be found sooner.' NEXT: Caretaker charged with lying to police after woman went missing Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
RI lawmaker seeks to create ‘Linda Alert' for those with disabilities
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — Linda DaLomba's whereabouts were unknown for four days before she was discovered curled up in the backseat of a parked car. The 45-year-old woman, who's autistic and nonverbal, vanished last Wednesday while her caregiver was visiting a nail salon, according to police. Investigators believe DaLomba got out of the car in the nail salon parking lot and walked down the street to the unlocked vehicle, where she remained until she was found Sunday afternoon. DaLomba's disappearance triggered an extensive citywide search, and detectives began fearing the worst as her caregiver continued to provide them with conflicting statements regarding her potential whereabouts. RELATED: Caregiver was at nail salon when autistic woman went missing Thankfully, a mechanic with the Cranston Fire Department went outside to jumpstart his family friend's car and found DaLomba laying down in the backseat. He decided to call the police after hearing about DaLomba's disappearance on the news. 'At first I thought, 'There's no way it's that missing lady,'' Savong Sam recalled. 'But it ended up actually being her.' Now that DaLomba is safe and sound, Rep. Christopher Paplauskas, R-Cranston, is calling for the creation of a notification system that would assist officers in future searches for missing individuals with intellectual disabilities. 'We have AMBER Alerts for children and we have Silver Alerts for seniors,' Paplauskas said. 'This would close that gap in public safety, which we seemed to realize exists over the course of the last week here in Cranston.' Paplauskas said the idea originally came from Cranston Mayor Ken Hopkins, who mentioned it while honoring Sam for his heroic efforts earlier this week. 'I think this is an opportunity, and I learned a long time ago that out of tragedies come opportunities,' Hopkins said, adding that he actually got the idea from Cranston Police Col. Michael Winquist. 'I think it's something that the state needs, and I think it's a great idea.' Paplauskas said the notification system would be called the 'Linda Alert,' and would be activated for missing individuals who have disabilities. SEE ALSO: Cranston honors man who found missing autistic woman He added that other states have already implemented similar notification systems, including Florida, Georgia, New York and Texas. 'Hopefully we can do that here in Rhode Island too,' he said. Though Paplauskas has not yet introduced legislation to create the new notification system, he said the idea already has bipartisan support. He has also proactively reached out to the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, which would be responsible for creating and maintaining the proposed notification system. 'I want to act fast on this,' he said. 'Once the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed, I'm going to submit it.' DaLomba's caregiver, 43-year-old Roberta Gerard, has since been arrested and charged with abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult with severe impairments, as well as falsely reporting a crime and obstruction of an officer in the execution of duty. Gerard faced a judge Monday and was released on $5,000 surety bail pending her next court date, which is slated for June. NEXT: Caretaker charged with lying to police after woman went missing Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
26-03-2025
- Boston Globe
Mayor calls for R.I. to adopt new alert to find missing disabled people, after search for nonverbal woman with autism
Related : According to court documents, police said Gerard admitted she lied after investigators confronted her with information they compiled from license plate readers and cell phone records showing Gerard's actual whereabouts, far from the store. Get Rhode Island News Alerts Sign up to get breaking news and interesting stories from Rhode Island in your inbox each weekday. Enter Email Sign Up She allegedly told police she lied because she is only allowed to take clients to public places, police wrote in an affidavit. DaLomba went missing after Gerard went inside her boyfriend's house on North Clarendon Street for 'just a few minutes,' police said she told investigators. Advertisement DaLomba only turned up after Savong Sam, a 40-year-old mechanic for the Cranston Fire Department, found her Sunday lying inside a Honda Pilot SUV he planned to fix for a friend, Sam said. 'I went to jump start the vehicle because the battery was dead …. I looked back and I noticed Linda laying in the back,' Sam told reporters Wednesday at Cranston City Hall, where he received a citation from Hopkins, who called him a hero for locating DaLomba. Hopkins also suggested law enforcement be given a new tool to help find missing persons with disabilities. Authorities already use Amber Alerts to notify the public of missing children and Silver Alerts to amplify cases of missing seniors, especially those with mental disabilities and impairments. According to the 'We don't have anything in the state that would help us to find somebody like that, and it would be a great idea if we could post those message boards along the state highways and help us in that possible search,' Hopkins said, suggesting the tool be called a 'Linda Alert.' Advertisement The mayor told reporters he was approached by Cranston Police Chief Michael Winquist about the idea, and passed it along to state Representative Christopher G. Paplauskas. 'I think it's a great idea, and I appreciate the mayor calling me on it and suggesting it,' Paplauskas, a Cranston Republican, told the Globe. 'It's definitely something to look at, for sure.' Police have not released information about how exactly DaLomba ended up in the Honda where she was found. Cranston police Major Todd Patalano told reporters on Wednesday investigators know what happened but will not release additional information due to Gerard's pending case. However, authorities believe DaLomba was in the vehicle for more than a day, he said. Gerard initially reported DaLomba missing around 3:58 p.m. on March 19 and told officials she last saw DaLomba inside the Burlington Coat Factory at 2:30 p.m., police said. Roberta Gerard, 43, of Cranston, R.I., left, leaves Kent County District Court in Warwick on Monday with her attorney, Leah Boisclair, center. Christopher Gavin/Globe staff But after investigators checked surveillance video footage and questioned her, Gerard admitted she made up the story, and later told authorities DaLomba went missing from the back of her vehicle when she went inside to heat up food at 34-36 North Clarendon St., where her boyfriend lives, according to the police affidavit. DaLomba was out of sight for approximately 4 minutes, she allegedly told police. According to the affidavit, Gerard also went to a nail salon that day on Park Avenue, though it was unclear whether DeLomba went to the salon. Advertisement Cell phone records allegedly show Gerard and her boyfriend circled the Park Avenue area that afternoon, prior to reporting DaLomba missing, the filing states. When he discovered DaLomba in his friend's car not far from the salon on Sunday, Sam said he initially thought the person in the Honda was 'a little boy playing hide and seek.' After he told his wife about seeing someone in the vehicle, he realized the person could be DaLomba and called police, he said. 'Growing up, I was always taught to do the right thing no matter, you know, who's watching,' he said. 'So I try to teach my kids the same thing every day.' Gerard was arraigned in Kent County District Court in Warwick on Monday. Because she faces a felony charge, Gerard could not enter a plea, Judge J. Patrick O'Neill said. She remains free on $5,000 surety bail and is due back in court on June 23. According to DaLomba's family, Gerard was DaLomba's personal caregiver at a group home in Lincoln, R.I., operated by the Seven Hills Foundation. A spokesperson for Seven Hills said Monday Gerard was terminated from her position on Friday. Material from previous Globe stories was used in this report. Christopher Gavin can be reached at
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Yahoo
Cranston honors man who found missing autistic woman
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — The man who found a missing autistic woman in Cranston was honored by the city on Wednesday. Savong Sam, a mechanic for Cranston's fire department, was presented a citation of recognition for outstanding citizenship. He found Linda DaLomba, who went missing earlier this week, inside a parked vehicle on Pond Street. 'We are so proud of how you responded in a time of need for our city. You saved Linda's life,' Mayor Ken Hopkins said. 'You are Cranston's hero.' RELATED: Caretaker charged with lying to police after woman went missing Sam told 12 News he found DaLomba while going to jumpstart the vehicle, which belongs to a family friend. 'Growing up, I was always taught to do the right thing no matter who's watching, so I try to teach my kids the same thing every day,' Sam said. Hopkins spoke with Rep. Chris Paplauskas about putting together a notification system for people with disabilities and calling it the 'Linda Alert.' 'Because of her disabilities, we don't have anything in the state that would help us to find somebody like that, and it would be a great idea if we could post those message boards along state highways and help us in that possible search,' Hopkins explained. 'I give credit to Col. Winquist for that idea and I am just following through on it.' DaLomba's caregiver, 43-year-old Roberta Gerard, has since been arrested and charged with abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult with severe impairment, false report of crime, and obstruction of an officer while in the execution of duty. Police said Gerard gave conflicting statements about what happened when DaLomba went missing, which hindered their investigation. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
