LONGWOOD, Fla. – Natasha Coleman, a caregiver employed by Special Angels Health Care, was arrested after a disabled man under her supervision went missing for several hours in August, according to Longwood police.
Court records show Coleman faces charges of neglect and providing false information to law enforcement. The missing person, 32-year-old Rayvon Wallace, has intellectual disabilities and was under Coleman’s care when he disappeared.
Coleman initially told police she had left Wallace on a basketball court for about 5 to 6 minutes while using a nearby restroom. However, security camera footage later revealed that Wallace had been missing since approximately 9:30 a.m., several hours before Coleman’s 3 p.m. 911 call reporting his disappearance.
Because of Wallace’s disability, Longwood Police deployed additional resources such as a helicopter and drones to aid in the search, focusing their efforts on the area where Coleman said she last saw him.
Wallace was found by a group home employee about two miles from the park, visibly exhausted, dehydrated, and with scrapes on his legs. He was taken to the hospital and stayed for two days. According to reports, Wallace said he had gone for a walk on a trail after seeing Coleman leave.
Guardianship attorney Joanna Payette, who represents Wallace’s family, expressed shock over the incident and emphasized the family’s ongoing efforts to become Wallace’s legal guardians.
Special Angels Health Care confirmed Coleman is a contracted, trained, and certified employee. They stated incidents involving disabled clients must be reported within an hour.
Coleman was arrested Tuesday on warrants for neglect and providing false information. She was released shortly after on a $3,000 bond. Attempts to reach Coleman and the agency for comment were unsuccessful.
