Former Group Home Employee Accused of Striking Disabled Person With Book

HEMPSTEAD, NY – A former group home employee was recently arrested for assault and abuse charges after allegedly striking a disabled person repeatedly in the head with a book, according to the NYS Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs Special.

Marie Calvaire, 62, of Queens Village was charged second degree attempted assault, first and second degree endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, second degree reckless endangerment, fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon, third degree attempted assault, third degree menacing; and second degree harassment, according to a press release from the Justice Center.

Calvaire worked at Nassau County facility run by EPIC Long Island, which provides treatment, care, education and support to those with epilepsy, and to individuals with intellectual or emotional challenges, according to their website.

“People with disabilities and special needs who are dependent on others for their care deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and feel safe in their residences,” Special Prosecutor Patricia E. Gunning said. “The Justice Center works tirelessly to ensure that individuals, like this service recipient, who are victimized by a caregiver, receive the justice they deserve.”

Calvaire was arrested in November 2015, at the facility certified by the NYS Office for People With Development Disabilities (OPWDD), after an investigation conducted by the Justice Center, according to the release.

She pled not guilty to the charges contained in the criminal complaint in Nassau County District Court and bail was set at $1,500 cash or $2,500 bond.

Calvaire has been suspended from her position, according to the release.