A call for medical assistance last week led authorities in Griffin, Georgia, to a disturbing scene. When first responders had to break a window to reach a patient having a seizure, they discovered at least eight people “essentially imprisoned” in the basement. Curtis Bankston, 55, was charged with false imprisonment, and additional charges are pending. His wife, 56-year-old Sophia Simm-Bankston, also is expected to face charges.
False Imprisonment: What Authorities Found at the Home
When police executed a search warrant, they found eight people between ages 23 and 65, all of whom had mental or physical disabilities. Investigators say the Bankstons had been leasing the property for 14 months and were operating an unlicensed group home.
The Bankstons allegedly controlled the finances, benefits, and medications of the residents—and sometimes withheld medicine and health care. Residents were “locked in” at times, police say, and unable to exit in case of emergency.