2nd caretaker charged with neglect at Verona facility

For the second time in as as many weeks, Verona police charged a caretaker at the same assisted living facility with neglecting the care of a client.

“It’s unnerving,” Officer Thomas Dessell said of the most recent charges.

Myesha Pennix, 25, of Pittsburgh, was accused Sept. 26 of ignoring the whereabouts of a 18-year-old client with mental and developmental issues at a facility run by On-Site Companionship Services.

Messages left at the company were not returned.

In court documents, police said they responded at about 6:20 p.m. for a missing persons call at the facility in the 500 block of North Avenue.

A supervisor with On-Site told police the client has around-the-clock medical needs and left the home without supervision. Police say the woman had been missing for about two hours when they were called. Verona Fire Department was called to assist in a search.

Pennix is accused of sitting on the porch, smoking and looking at her cell phone when the patient walked by her at least twice, the second time without immediately returning, police said. Pennix is seen on video surveillance checking the residence and next door home for the patient before returning to the porch.

The patient returned safely later that night, police said.

“It’s really cut and dry,” Dessell said. “Everything was captured on camera.”

The incident follows a similar event on Sept. 10 in which an Oakmont woman was charged with misdemeanor neglect and drug charges for the same patient, police said.

Kelsey Brown, 32, is accused of ignoring the needs of the patient while spending at least 90 minutes smoking marijuana in her vehicle.

Brown’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 28 before District Judge Anthony DeLuca.

Information on Pennix’s court date was not yet available.