NJ Group Home Operator and Staff Arraigned in Elder Neglect Case

A Pennsylvania-based group home operator and several employees face criminal charges following allegations of prolonged neglect toward an elderly resident in Vineland.

A Pennsylvania-based company and multiple of its employees have been charged in connection with the alleged abuse and neglect of an elderly resident at a group home for intellectually disabled adults in Vineland, New Jersey. The charges stem from two separate incidents in April 2023 involving a vulnerable resident, according to an announcement by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), and the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP).

On October 20, 2025, Elwyn Pennsylvania Delaware Inc. (Elwyn) and employee Gwendolyn Singletary were arraigned in Cumberland County Superior Court before Judge Cristen P. D’Arrigo. Both face third-degree charges of neglect of an elderly or disabled person and conspiracy to commit neglect. Singletary also faces a fourth-degree charge of assault on an institutionalized person.

Other individuals charged include Inkie Mars (director of operations), Michele Beirne (direct support professional), and Bryan F. Firlein (clinical director), who were arraigned on July 14, 2025. Beirne has since been admitted into a pre-trial intervention (PTI) program as of September 19, 2025. Under the PTI agreement, she will complete 100 hours of community service and is barred from working in direct-care roles with vulnerable populations.

Two additional staff members—operations manager DeShay Dickson and direct support professional Brenda Hichens Torres—were arraigned on September 5, 2025. All defendants were previously indicted on May 8, 2025.

“Failure to respond quickly and properly to a resident in need of care is not only wrong but may constitute a crime,” said Attorney General Platkin. “The behavior described in the indictment goes beyond mere neglect. We will not allow conduct like this in our care facilities.”

The charges relate to Elwyn’s operation of the Strathmore Group Home in Vineland, where the alleged neglect occurred. Prosecutors claim that both the corporate entity and senior staff, including Mars and Firlein, failed to implement safety protocols to protect residents.

According to the indictment, on April 13, 2023, a resident identified as “S.K.” suffered a fall and remained on the floor for over three hours without being checked for injuries or offered assistance by Dickson, Beirne, or Hichens Torres. A second incident occurred on April 15, 2023, when S.K. again fell or collapsed and remained on the floor for nearly seven hours. During this time, Dickson and Singletary allegedly did not check on the resident or assist her for more than three hours each.

“This case underscores the importance of accountability in facilities entrusted with the care of vulnerable residents,” said Interim Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Al Garcia. “The neglect and abuse alleged here are more than unacceptable, they are criminal."

The investigation was led by Detective Yvette Vasquez under the supervision of Sergeant Justin Callahan, Lieutenant Joseph Jaruszewski, and Deputy Chief Rich King. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Laura L. Bryant under the direction of Assistant Bureau Chief Michael Klein and Bureau Chief Heather Hadley.

Under New Jersey law, third-degree crimes are punishable by three to five years in prison and fines of up to $15,000. Fourth-degree offenses carry a penalty of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

All individuals charged are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case falls under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), which is federally funded at 75% by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with the remaining 25% provided by the State of New Jersey. The unit's total funding for fiscal year 2026 is $11.6 million.

Residents who suspect Medicaid fraud or elder abuse are encouraged to report it through the Medicaid Fraud or Elder Abuse & Neglect Reporting Form or by contacting the state at (609) 292-1272 or NJMFCU@njdcj.org.