Reginald Wilson, 30, has been arrested after allegedly giving a disabled patient bleach to drink while working as a Louisiana home care aide.
The Lake Charles man was caught on home security footage Monday afternoon pouring liquid from a plastic bleach tank into a bottle before handing it to the patient with the instruction to consume it, according to police. Wilson, dressed in black scrubs, had grabbed the original bottle and walked into the kitchen while the patient sat in the living room, the video shows. He then retrieved the bleach container, transferred the cleaning product, shook the mixture and returned to the man, authorities said.
The patient immediately noticed something was wrong. The man told investigators the drink tasted like bleach, Lake Charles police told WCTV.
Family members confronted Wilson after reviewing the footage. He admitted to one relative that he had poured the cleaning substance into the bottle, according to police. Officers did not detail what prompted the family to check the security recording.
Wilson worked for Heaven on Earth, a local agency that provides daily living assistance and personal care services. The company moved quickly to distance itself from him once the video surfaced online.
“Heaven On Earth Network Inc. Administration and staff are deeply saddened to see what transpired in the recent video shared on social media concerning a client and one of our staff members,” the agency said in a statement. “I would like to start off by saying that our client’s health and safety is our number one priority and that any abuse is not tolerated by our agency.”
The company added that it “immediately took action and removed the worker and transported client to ER to be evaluated. We are working with local authorities as well as state agencies according to our policies and procedures.”
Heaven on Earth cited HIPAA law in declining to release additional details about the case or the patient’s condition. The agency did not say how long Wilson had been employed there or whether he had previous disciplinary issues.
Wilson now faces three criminal charges: mingling harmful substances, cruelty to persons with infirmities and aggravated battery. The mingling harmful substances charge alone carries a potential sentence of up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to $1,000 if he is convicted.
The case has drawn intense local attention after the family posted the security footage online, where it spread rapidly across social media platforms. The video shows Wilson’s deliberate movements as he prepares the bottle in the kitchen before delivering it to the unsuspecting patient in the living room.
The incident has raised fresh questions about oversight in home care settings, where disabled and elderly clients often receive one-on-one assistance from workers in private residences. Heaven on Earth’s statement emphasized its cooperation with authorities but offered no specifics about any internal review beyond Wilson’s termination.
Police have not disclosed whether they believe Wilson acted alone or if additional suspects are being investigated. They also have not specified what type of bleach was used or the concentration level that the patient ingested.
The patient’s current medical condition remains unclear following the emergency room evaluation. The family has not issued additional public statements beyond sharing the original video footage.
Wilson’s booking information and whether he has retained legal representation were not immediately available from Lake Charles authorities.