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Father of man allegedly abused in Bexar County group home fears there may be other victims

Bexar County deputies arrested 2 employees, still looking for another

BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – A man who said his son was physically abused while living in a group home in east Bexar County fears there may be other victims.

“If this was happening to my son, it’s very likely this is happening to other customers,” he said.

The father, who asked that his name and image not be used, spoke to KSAT 12 News on Monday. He wanted to bring attention to certain details of the case.

The father said it involves the abuse of his 29-year-old son, who has severe intellectual disabilities.

Deputies with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office arrested Benjamin Tambe, 53, and Tony Israel, 45, over the weekend.

Sheriff Javier Salazar said deputies are also still looking for Harrison Odiri, 52, who worked with Tambe and Israel at the group home on Highland Park Drive. The home is run by Maofu Home Healthcare.

“If these people never saw the light of day outside of a jail, I’d be completely satisfied,” Salazar said at a news conference on Saturday.

All three suspects are facing charges of injury to the disabled and unlawful restraint.

The case came to light after the victim’s father used a hidden camera to capture video in his son’s room.

The father said he had noticed his son behaving unusually and set up the camera when he suspected something happening at the home might be causing it.

The video, he said, was a painful eye-opener.

He said one recording showed his son being physically assaulted after he was asked to dress himself.

“When he doesn’t put it on, basically, he gets hit. Slapped,” the father said.

In another recording, he said the suspects wrestled his son to the ground for no apparent reason, then restrained him by tying his hands behind his back.

“He goes off-frame of the camera on the floor,” the father said. “You can see the struggle. You can hear him screaming. On this particular video, he was left tied for about 30 minutes or so.”

After he brought his evidence to the sheriff’s office, deputies went to the home Saturday and made the arrests.

Israel, who had been working part-time as a Bexar County sheriff’s deputy, was both arrested and fired, Salazar said.

The sheriff said the manager of the home, Anne Holland, 53, was also hit with a list of citations.

While he is pleased that charges have been filed against the suspects, the victim’s father also wants to see the home shut down for good.


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