BALTIMORE — A Baltimore woman was handed a two-year prison sentence after a vulnerable adult in her care went missing and turned up dead two days later.
Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Althea M. Handy ordered 59-year-old Asa Ene Ita to serve her sentence at home on a GPS-monitored device due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although she was an unlicensed healthcare provider, state prosecutors say Ita ran at least two private assisted living facilities which were also unlicensed.
In March 2019, a resident at her N. Luzerne Avenue location went missing. Ita apparently waited more than 12 hours before contacting police or the victim's family.
Two days later the missing resident was found dead.
Police later recovered over 100 nearly-full prescription bottles from Ita, belonging to her residents. Prosecutors say she failed to properly administer the medication to her patients.
Upon completing home detention, Ita will serve five-years probation during which time she's prohibited from caring for any vulnerable adults or children.
