Rhea County man accused of leaving elderly couple without food, water or heat

Matthew J. Savage
Matthew J. Savage

A Rhea County man has been booked on felony charges of elder abuse in an investigation launched under a new law that went into effect Jan. 1.

Matthew J. Savage Jr., 26, was arrested on two Class D felony charges of vulnerable adult abuse and/or neglect, Rhea County Sheriff's Office investigator Rocky Potter said. Savage is being held on a $10,000 bond with a court appearance set for March 2.

Potter said the investigation began in December and continued through January as a newly-formed investigative team probed reports that an elderly couple - who were previously staying in the Athens-Sweetwater area - had been dropped off at a local mobile home park without food, medications or personal belongings other than what they had on their backs, Potter said this morning.

Savage told the mobile home park owner that he was interested in renting but left the couple there without having made a deal to rent anything.

The mobile home the couple was in was "basically bare. There was nothing there," Potter said. "They didn't even know what county they were in."

The situation was reported by local residents, church members and others who had seen the couple, he said.

According to an offense report filed in January, residents of the mobile home park told authorities that the couple, aged 58 and 67 and said to be suffering from mental and physical problems, were left at the mobile home for four days without electric power or heat before local church members started helping out.

The male victim was hospitalized and "alternative placement" was found for both victims, Potter said.

Potter said the case involved the 12th Judicial District's new Vulnerable Adult Protective Investigative Team and the district's new tip line. A state law that went into effect Jan. 1 established the teams and guidelines for its operation.

To report suspected abuse, go to https://reportadultabuse.dhs.tn.gov or call 888-277-8366.

Stay with the Times Free Press for more on this developing story.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.

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