Gwinnett County police have taken out warrants against a home health care worker after multiple people with special needs who were supposed to be in her care told authorities they hadn’t eaten for days.
The health care worker is also tied to the disappearance of a woman, officials said.
Kishia Mitchell is facing two counts of exploitation of a disabled or elder person and two counts of unlicensed personal care home, Gwinnett police spokeswoman Cpl. Michele Pihera said in a news release Wednesday.
The case was opened Oct. 4 when Linda Kimble’s daughter reported her missing, according to a Gwinnett police report.
Credit: Gwinnett County Police Department
Credit: Gwinnett County Police Department
The daughter said Kimble, 59, was discharged from Eastside Emory Hospital in August. Her mother was then put into the care of Mitchell, an Auxilium Care Inc. worker.
The woman told police she had tried to visit her mother several times “but Kishia made several excuses,” the incident report said.
“Kishia told (Kimble’s daughter) to give her mother three weeks to get settled in before visiting her,” the report said. “When (Kimble’s daughter) asked Kishia for a phone number or address to see and speak with her mom, she stopped replying.”
Eventually, the woman drove to an address in Stone Mountain where Mitchell had instructed her to mail a check. The place was vacant, the report said.
The woman called Mitchell and said she was at the Stone Mountain address, but Mitchell told her that her mother had moved. She again refused to provide an address.
A Gwinnett investigator began to search for more information about Mitchell and found that Auxilium Care had been permanently closed. When a Gwinnett police officer called Mitchell to ask about Kimble’s whereabouts, she said Kimble was at a location in Snellville. That property was vacant, police said.
On Oct. 11, police were sent to a Wells Fargo bank on Rockbridge Road on another call related to Mitchell.
A 26-year-old man walked into the bank and said he hadn’t seen Mitchell, who was his caretaker, for two days. He told investigators he hadn’t eaten.
Officers took him back to the place he said was his home and found nine other adults with “varying levels of special needs,” Pihera said.
“There was no caretaker present, and officers learned that the residents had not eaten or had access to medications in several days,” she said.
Eight of the nine people were relocated using Temporary Emergency Relocation Funds, and the ninth person declined relocation.
Kimble was not among the residents found in the house.
Warrants for Mitchell’s arrest were obtained a week later, records show.
“At this time, detectives are still seeking the whereabouts of both Linda Kimble and Kishia Mitchell,” Pihera said. “It is imperative that Linda is located so we can make sure her physical and medical needs are being met.”
Kimble is described as having black hair and brown eyes. She is about 5-foot-6 and weighs roughly 170 pounds, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact GCPD detectives at 770-513-5300. Tipsters can remain anonymous, and be eligible for rewards of up to $2,000, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
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