An Arkansas police chief has been accused of failing to report the alleged abuse of an elderly man who was reportedly neglected and malnourished.
Joiner Police Chief Robert Yerbey was arrested Tuesday on charges of endangering an impaired person and failure to report abuse or neglect in the case of 77-year-old Wilton Goudeaux Jr.
Court documents say Yerbey went to Goudeaux’s home Jan. 31 to investigate an alleged domestic dispute. The records say Yerbey reported Goudeaux was fine, even though a Department of Human Services employee arrived later that day and discovered Goudeaux unresponsive.
Goudeaux died in a Memphis hospital less than one month later. Three others, including Goudeaux’s son, were arrested in connection with the death.
Yerbey’s attorney, Bill Bracey, did not return an immediate request for comment.