LITHONIA, GA — A Lithonia woman has been found guilty of depriving and exploiting a disabled adult in a unlicensed care home she operated.

43-year-old Crystal Nasir was found guilty of deprivation of essential services to disabled adults and exploitation of a disabled adult.

In December of 2021, a disabled 38-year-old man and resident of the house called police to say he and other adults were living in terrible conditions, without heat or air conditioning, some in a basement covered in sewage from an overflowing toilet.

The man also said he had not been given his medication for a while.

Police confirmed his statements by executing a search warrant of the home on Castle Downs Trace, even finding waste from dogs Nasir was breeding caked on to the floors, the walls, and the stairs inside.

Many of the disabled residents were sleeping on mattresses with no or soiled bedding.

Police noticed there was also standing water on the floors in the basement as well as mold, bed bugs, and rats throughout.

However, when investigators examined Nasir’s room, they discovered it was clean and well maintained.

Nasir was sentenced to 15 years in prison with ten to serve and the balance on probation.

Dekalb District Attorney Sherry Boston calls the conditions “deplorable”.

Boston’s office has a unit devoted solely to prosecuting cases involving abuse of the elderly and disabled.

The Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney has a webpage to report elder abuse and created a guide to educate people on how to identify the signs of potential elder abuse.