New York parents sue autism center after video shows worker abusing their son
A New York couple is suing an autism center for abuse after they received video of a worker grabbing their adult son's genitals and pushing him down a hallway.
The parents said footage of the 2024 incident at Anderson Center for Autism in Dutchess County came to light after a whistleblower contacted them about it.
Anil Babbar said his 19-year-old son, who has autism, is now dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder.
"He was catatonic when he first came to us. He lost all sense of security, of safety," Babbar said. "He felt that these people were in charge of his care, his wellbeing. And so whatever they were doing to him, he thought that was par for the course."
Garnet Collins, the now-former Anderson Center worker seen on the video, was charged in 2024 and later admitted he grabbed a resident of the center by the testicles and struck another in the head with an object, the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office said.
The Anderson Center for Autism said in a statement Thursday to CBS News New York that it was not aware of the incident prior to Collins' arrest.
"The incident depicted in the video stands in direct opposition to our mission and values, and we have zero tolerance for any behavior that compromises the safety or dignity of the people we serve. We fully cooperated with the investigation and ultimate conviction of the former staff member depicted in the video. While there have also been repeated references to a so-called whistleblower, the truth is that former trainee never reported this incident to Anderson -- as he was required to do -- and as result of his dereliction of duty, Anderson was never made aware of this heinous act. We remain committed to upholding the highest standards of care and accountability," the statement said.
Collins was sentenced in May to 1-3 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to first-degree endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, prosecutors said.