The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
Three caregivers were hired to provide assistance to a man they believed had Down syndrome, and they allegedly discovered he lied about having the disorder in order to derive sexual gratification when they changed his diapers and cleaned his private parts.
A caregiver was hired for an assignment in May after she replied to an ad that she found on a site called CareLinx, where people seeking in-home aide can connect with people who can offer them the support they need.
The woman was offered the job after texting with someone named Amy, who she believed was the client’s mother. She was reportedly told that she would be attending to the needs of a 31-year-old man who has Down syndrome and needs his diapers changed, in addition to assistance when he bathes. She was further instructed that she should punish the man if he went to the bathroom in his diaper.
The woman accepted the position to work with the man, and over time she gave her friend a referral for the same job.
When the second girl was hired by Amy, she said she was issued the same instructions for taking care of the man, and she began providing her services in July.
In August, a third caregiver was referred to the job by the two women who already worked with the man, and she was also reportedly given the same care plan for the client.
According to the official reports, all three women providing their services to the man said that he had an erection each time they changed his diaper or washed his private parts.
In early September, the woman who was hired first believed something might not be right about the situation and she followed the client when he was on his way home from another location.
When she approached the door of the residence he entered and knocked the man’s biological parents answered and reportedly told her that their son lives in a bedroom in the home with them. The woman questioned the client’s parents about his condition and they purportedly told her that their son does not have Down syndrome and has not needed intervention or support in the ways that the women were hired to provide care since he was a child.
The women reported the situation to the authorities and when they were each shown pictures of suspects they identified the man they provided care services for as Paul Anthony Menchaca.
The police suspect that Menchaca was pretending to be Amy, the woman claiming to be his mother, when speaking with the alleged victims through digital means.
Menchaca, who responded to the allegations by saying that he has a documented low IQ and is seeking professional help, was taken into custody and he is facing charges of three felony counts of sex abuse, and one felony count of fraudulent schemes.
Menchaca was released after submitting a $1500 bond and has been ordered against having contact in any way with the three women who made the claims against him.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a sex crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.