Last Thursday, a caretaker at a Phoenix group home was arrested following the death of a patient in his care. 36-year-old Nuru Niyonkuru is facing charges of vulnerable adult abuse after his patient, identified as 50-year-old William Miller, was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a hospital, FOX 10 Phoenix reports. The suspect allegedly admitted to drinking on the job and deviating from the planned schedule, canceling Miller's appointment, and instead taking him to his residence where he continued to drink.
According to AZFamily, Niyonkuru told police he consumed a small bottle of Crown Royal before starting his shift. Court documents revealed, Niyonkuru brought Miller back to the group home after spending several hours at his apartment and left him in the van, asking someone inside to monitor him. Within this context of neglect, a co-worker who was close to Miller shared his thoughts, "He was my best friend. You know, we take care of them and connect with them," he told AZFamily.
Further investigation into Niyonkuru's conduct revealed additional troubling details. A witness implicated the caretaker's drinking habits, claiming he consumed alcohol during at least one to two shifts a week. When Niyonkuru was reached by phone post-incident, a co-worker reported to police conveyed by AZFamily, that the suspect was incoherent and had quickly terminated the call.
The circumstances surrounding William Miller's death are under investigation, with temperatures in Phoenix reaching 100 degrees on the day of the incident. The exact cause of death is still undetermined. Niyonkuru remains in jail on a $250,000 cash-only bond, and police have stated that additional charges may be possible, depending on the results of the ongoing investigation into the cause of Miller's death.
