A Lithonia woman is now convicted of multiple charges after a jury trial exposed her cruel treatment of disabled adults in an unlicensed care home setting. DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced that last Friday, Crystal Nasir, 43, was found guilty on counts of deprivation and exploitation. Nasir's conviction stems from the discovery of squalid living conditions she subjected her charges to, first unearthed in January 2022. According to statements obtained by the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, the living areas were in a horrifying state, with residents exposed to untold hardships.
The case cracked open when a disabled 38-year-old man living at the property contacted the police to directly report the appalling environment he had been confined to. Along with other residents, he was housed in a basement, "without heat or air conditioning," surrounded by "sewage from a toilet that had overflowed with human waste." He also mentioned not having received his prescription medication for a significant period. The situation was so dire that residents were found with feces on their shoes or bare feet, aimlessly wandering through these deplorable conditions. In the same statement to the police, the man claimed the basement had been in such a state for months and had pictures demonstrating even worse conditions before the police investigation, as reported by the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office.
The blasé nature of Nasir’s neglect became palpable when officers executed a search warrant and delineated the gruesome scene. Nasir was running a dog breeding operation on site, which contributed to the filth that caked the floors, walls, and stairs of the house. The description given by law enforcement went further to note that mold growth and a bedbug infestation were just the start. A more disturbing revelation was how residents were living, with some subjected to "raw mattresses or with soiled bedding," as noted in the investigation. Five disabled adults were found to be paying residents, including a 44-year-old woman with severe mental health issues who was responsible for maintenance without compensation.
Nasir herself lived in a contrasting reality within the same walls, occupying the cleanest room and a well-maintained bathroom. It was discovered that she kept the residents' personal papers and financial records, as well as their medications, in her living quarters. This stark dichotomy underlined the deliberate negligence that constituted the core of the charges against her. The sentencing was swift, with Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams imposing a 15-year sentence, with 10 to be served in confinement. Among those prosecuting the case were Senior Assistant District Attorney Laura Alford, Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Franklin Engram, and District Attorney Investigator Charles Maupin, with former Detective Aria Lynch leading the initial groundwork. After years of legal proceedings, the case has finally concluded.
