Former psychiatric aide at the Montana Developmental Center charged with abusing a client

As seen in this report in Montana's Independent Record

A psychiatric aide at the Montana Developmental Center in Boulder is accused of abusing a disabled person, which is a felony, for allegedly pushing a developmentally disabled man “hard into the doorway/wall” where the man struck his head on a door, resulting in a “large laceration on his scalp.”

The wound caused the client to “bleed profusely,” and it took five staples to close the wound, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Arrested was Sheldon Moffett, who began working at MDC this year. Moffett faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

According to the affidavit, Moffett attacked the man on Sept. 29. The incident that led to the charge was described in the affidavit filed Oct. 17.

According to witnesses, Moffett was trying to get some of the clients to go to bed, and the clients refused and were calling him a bully. Moffett told police that at one point he said to the clients "at least I get to go home to my wife," and the alleged victim responded, “I am going to kill your wife.”

Following that exchange, Moffett allegedly shoved the client into the door, causing the injury.

Moffett told investigators that he had “been very frustrated that day” and later said there was “no excuse for what I have done,'' documents show.

Moffett was immediately placed on administrative leave and is no longer employed at MDC, according to Jon Ebelt, public information officer with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. 

 Court Records regarding the case online here