7 more deaths linked to unlicensed Arlington, Mansfield group homes, police say
Seven more deaths have been linked to five unlicensed group homes in Arlington and Mansfield that have come under investigation for the way residents were treated, according to police.
Tim Ciesco, a spokesperson for the Arlington Police Department, told the Star-Telegram in an email that the investigation is ongoing, but to date no additional criminal charges have been filed against Regla “Su” Becquer, the owner of the group homes.
Becquer was arrested March 11 and charged with one count of abandoning or endangering an individual creating imminent danger of bodily injury. That charge is related to a woman with disabilities who told police she was abused and held against her will.
Becquer’s group homes were operated by a company called Love and Caring for People LLC. Becquer and her staff have been accused of preventing patients in their care from seeking medical attention, failing to properly care for them, attempting to keep them from talking with family members, using their debit cards, and using cars and phones of clients who had died, investigators wrote in search warrant affidavits.
“We do anticipate that when all is said and done, additional charges will be filed against her and possibly others,” Ciesco said.
Investigators are still reviewing evidence and interviewing possible victims or witnesses, including those who’ve called the tip line set up for that purpose.
Ciesco told the Star-Telegram on Friday that investigators are now aware of at least 20 Love and Caring for People clients who have died. Three search warrants obtained by the Star-Telegram in March said that at that time investigators had identified 13 people who died since 2022 while at or immediately after leaving the group homes.
Arlington police are working with the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office and the victims’ families to gather information about their cause and manner of death. They are trying to determine if any of the deaths were suspicious or criminal in nature, according to Ciesco.
Several of the clients died before the investigation into the group homes began, so Ciesco said getting a lot of specific information may be difficult.
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“We want to assure the public that we are conducting a very thorough, robust investigation and are working diligently to deliver justice to the victims in this case,” Ciesco said.
A spokesperson for the law office of Taylor Ferguson, Becquer’s court-appointed attorney, declined to comment when reached by phone Friday.
