Case of the New York Society for the Deaf - Group Home
New York City, NY
Greenburgh, NY
Accused of treating disabled patients ``like animals,'' beaten, drugged and robbed of their government checks. Along with allegations of children being sexually abused.
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Table of Contents:
1997
- Obituary - Lester J. Waldman (04/10/1997)
- Attorney: Residents At Home For Deaf Treated 'Like Animals' (06/23/1997)
- Disabled at group home abused, administrator says (07/23/1997)
- Deaf abused, suit says (07/23/1997)
- $12 million lawsuit against a home for the deaf (08/1997)
- NYSD Sued by Former Home Director (09/10/1997)
2000
- Torge v. New York Society For The Deaf (03/23/2000)
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Obituary - Lester J. Waldman
New York Times - April 10, 1997
WALDMAN-Lester. On April 8, 1997. The Board of Directors and the staff of the New York Society for the Deaf record with sorrow the passing of Lester Waldman. As a former Executive Director and Counsel to the Board, he was a vital member of our organization for over forty five years, offering valuable guidance in serving the Deaf Community with honor, integrity and leadership. We extend to his wife, Blanche, his son Michael who is also a Board Member of The New York Society for the Deaf, his daughter-in-law, Rebecca our deepest sympathy. Friends may call Thursday 7-9pm at Frank E. Campbell, 1076 Madison Avenue at 81st Street. Services Friday April 11, 10am at Temple Emanu-El, Fifth Avenue at 65th Street. Stephen Adler, Chairman Paul Kohnstamm, President Pearl Johnson, Exec Director.
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Attorney: Residents At Home For Deaf Treated 'Like Animals'
By Verena Dobnik
Associated Press - June 23, 1997
NEW YORK (AP) _ An attorney in a $12 million lawsuit against a home for the deaf says mentally disabled patients were treated ``like animals,'' beaten, drugged and robbed of their government checks.
Caroline Torge, 28, a former director of the home on Manhattan's Lower East Side, on Tuesday sued the New York Society for the Deaf, which runs the home.
Residents were roughed up, even bruised, as workers tried to intimidate them, Torge said. Many were drugged to make them easier to supervise, she said.
The residents also were allowed to sexually abuse each other, she said, and one even molested a 2-year-old child in a public laundromat. The allegations outlined by Torge and her attorney, Allen Rich, involve six deaf patients with mental disabilities.
Pearl Johnson, the society's executive director, said she was aware of the lawsuit but would have no comment until she read it.
The patients, some with a vocabulary of only a few words, also were robbed of their Social Security benefits, Rich said. The society ``was treating these deaf and developmentally disabled people like animals,'' he said.
Torge was hired in March 1995 and became director a few months later. She said she reported the alleged abuses to her boss, but was told to keep quiet and not tell authorities.
She said she later told state authorities about the alleged abuses and of fraudulent billing practices. Torge said she left her job in January 1996 after being demoted and asked to take a pay cut.
Torge is seeking the money because she believes she was forced out of a job for trying to help the patients, Rich said.
The not-for-profit home is a beneficiary of funds from the United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies as well as other private and government money. The home serves at least 60 other deaf residents who are not mentally disabled.
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Disabled at group home abused, administrator says
Times Union - July 23, 1997
ARTICLE MISSING
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Deaf abused, suit says
Cincinnati Post - July 23, 1997
An attorney in a $12 million lawsuit against a home for the deaf says mentally disabled patients were treated "like animals," beaten, drugged and robbed of their government checks. Caroline Torge , 28, a former director of the home on Manhattan's Lower East Side, on Tuesday sued the New York Society for the Deaf, which runs the home.
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$12 million lawsuit against a home for the deaf
The Associated Press - August, 1997
NEW YORK (AP) - An attorney in a $12 million lawsuit against a home for the deaf says mentally disabled patients were treated ``like animals,'' beaten, drugged and robbed of their government checks.
Caroline Torge, 28, a former director of the home on Manhattan's Lower East Side, on Tuesday sued the New York Society for the Deaf, which runs the home.
Residents were roughed up, even bruised, as workers tried to intimidate them, Torge said. Many were drugged to make them easier to supervise, she said.
The residents also were allowed to sexually abuse each other, she said, and one even molested a 2-year-old child in a public laundromat. The allegations outlined by Torge and her attorney, Allen Rich, involve six deaf patients with mental disabilities.
Pearl Johnson, the society's executive director, said she was aware of the lawsuit but would have no comment until she read it.
The patients, some with a vocabulary of only a few words, also were robbed of their Social Security benefits, Rich said. The society ``was treating these deaf and developmentally disabled people like animals,'' he said.
Torge was hired in March 1995 and became director a few months later. She said she reported the alleged abuses to her boss, but was told to keep quiet and not tell authorities.
She said she later told state authorities about the alleged abuses and of fraudulent billing practices. Torge said she left her job in January 1996 after being demoted and asked to take a pay cut.
Torge is seeking the money because she believes she was forced out of a job for trying to help the patients, Rich said.
The not-for-profit home is a beneficiary of funds from the United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies as well as other private and government money. The home serves at least 60 other deaf residents who are not mentally disabled.
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NYSD Sued By Former Home Director
Jewish Deaf Tidbits - September 10, 1997
Caroline Torge, 28, former director of New York Society for the Deaf's home serving deaf residents, is accusing the home that mentally disabled patients were treated "like animals", beaten, drugged and robbed of their Social Security benefits. In a $12 million lawsuit filed in July, Torge also claims of sexual abuse and molestation and that she had reported the alleged abuses to her boss but was told to keep quiet and not tell authorities. She subsequently told state authorities about the alleged abuses and of fraudulent billing practices and was demoted. Allen Rich, her attorney, outlined the allegations in the lawsuit which involves six deaf patients with mental disabilities. NYSD executive director Pearl Johnson reportedly said she was aware of, but would not comment on, the lawsuit. The home, located on Manhattan's Lower East Side, receives funds from United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies and other private and government money.
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Torge v. New York Society For The Deaf
March 23, 2000
CAROLINE TORGE, Respondent,
v.
NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR THE DEAF et al., Appellants.
v.
NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR THE DEAF et al., Appellants.
Initially, plaintiff's failure to plead the specific discriminatory practices prohibited by Administrative Code of the City of New York § 8-107 (7) and Executive Law § 296 (7) as predicates for her claim of unlawful retaliation would be grounds for dismissal (Edwards v Board of Trustees of Colgate Rochester Divinity School, 254 A.D.2d 709 ). However, on the merits, those provisions establish a standard that plaintiff was discriminated against "because of" her actual or perceived disability, and that the plaintiff thereby was refused various benefits. Plaintiff does not allege that she, herself, is disabled. This standard is not satisfied by plaintiff's allegations that her employment was terminated in connection with her alleged advocacy on behalf
We have considered plaintiff's remaining contentions and find them to be without merit.
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