Female Caretaker Caught On CCTV Abusing Disabled Man

A Putnam County woman was arrested after Flagler County deputies say she was caught on video abusing a disabled man in November.

Chelsey Renee Payne, 30, of San Mateo, is facing a charge of abuse of a disabled adult, a third-degree felony, according to a news release from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies say the incident happened Nov. 21 at the Palm Coast Community Center. A person called the police to report the incident the following day, and surveillance footage was handed over to FCSO.

“Detectives reviewed the footage, which depicted a disturbing encounter between the female suspect and a disabled adult male. The woman could be seen shoving the male and striking him in the face several times, both with an open hand and a closed fist,” according to the news release.

The female suspect was later identified as Payne, who worked for East Coast Habilitation Options Inc., at the time of the incident, but was later fired after the incident was reported to the company, FCSO said.

A warrant for Payne’s arrest was obtained on the night of Friday, Dec. 2, and she was arrested at her home with the help of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

Payne was taken to the Putnam County Jail and then transferred to the Flagler County Jail. She was later released on a $7,500 bond.

“This supposed ‘caretaker’ clearly did not show any care or compassion while she was abusing a disabled person,” Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly said in the news release. “We send our deepest sympathies to the victim and their family. I commend our Major Case detectives for quickly solving this case with initially very little information to go on.”