Mother of disabled man found encased in concrete sues group home, authorities

FULTON, Mo. --The mother of a developmentally disabled Missouri man whose body was found encased in concrete is suing a group home responsible for his care, in addition to several state and county agencies, CBS affiliate KRCG reports.

Carolyn Summers, the biological mother of Carl DeBrodie, filed the wrongful-death lawsuit Jan. 23 alleging that negligence occurred and her son's civil rights were violated. The eight-count complaint includes three counts of civil rights violations and one count of negligence. 

The 31-year-old DeBrodie was reported missing April 17 from the Second Chance Homes for the developmentally disabled in Fulton. His body was found April 24 encased in concrete in a container inside a storage area. Investigators determined he had been missing for months.

Second Chance Homes is named as a defendant in the lawsuit. A second company, Fink & Associates, assumed ownership of the group home the same day that DeBrodie was reported missing. 

It's unclear how DeBrodie died. Police have said a medical examiner's office backlog delayed the autopsy. Prosecutors have said the report will be kept confidential while the investigation continues. No arrests have been made. 

The body was badly decomposed, leading police to suspect that DeBrodie may have been missing for months, according to reports by the Jefferson City News Tribune. 

Named as co-defendants in the suit are Rachel Rowden, Sherry Paulo, Callaway County, the Callaway County Public Administrator's office and director Karen Digh, Callaway County Special Services and executive director Julia Kaufmann.

Callaway County Special Services confirmed it had returned all of the Medicaid funding paid to DeBrodie's case manager, reports the Tribune.