Murder Charge Filed Against Owner Of Murrieta Care Facility

Murrieta CA

09 August, 2021

8:50 PM

Description

MURRIETA, CA — A husband and wife from an upscale part of unincorporated Murrieta have been indicted by a Riverside County criminal grand jury in the death of a disabled teen girl in their foster care, the Riverside County District Attorney's Office announced Monday. The 14-count indictment against La Cresta Highlands residents Michelle Louise Morris Kerin, 80, and Edward Lawrence "Larry" Kerin, 79, was unsealed Monday and lists a variety of charges involving several victims, including murder, child endangerment likely to cause great bodily injury or death, dependent adult endangerment likely to cause great bodily injury or death, and lewd acts on a dependent adult. The Kerins operated a care facility, Morris Small Family Home at 40101 Calle Bandido in La Cresta Highlands, where they allegedly provided full-time care for disabled children and adults who had been placed in the home — many of the residents were non-ambulatory and unable to speak. One of those in the Kerins care was Diane "Princess" Ramirez who had cerebral palsy and other chronic health issues. She was wheelchair-bound and received nutrition through a feeding tube. According to county records, Michelle Morris Kerin did not seek medical attention the night before Diane's death, despite the 17-year-old's severe physical distress that included vomiting blood, eight to nine hours of pain, and inconsistent vital signs, according to prosecutors. Instead, it's alleged that Kerin waited until morning to call 911. Diane died a short time after arriving at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar at 8:45 a.m. on April 6, 2019, county records show. For Diane's death, Michelle Morris Kerin was charged with murder while her husband was charged with child neglect. The joint investigation into the Kerins by Community Care Licensing, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, and the Riverside County DA's Office also uncovered what is alleged by prosecutors to be several years of physical abuse and neglect of dependent children and adults in the home, along with sexual abuse against three dependent adults who had been placed in the home. "The investigation revealed additional evidence that numerous other residents had been previously abused and neglected, the facility was not properly staffed for 24-hour care, and medical records were not properly maintained. Some of the adult dependent residents were found to lack the mental capacity to give consent but engaged in sexual activities facilitated and encouraged by both defendants," according to the DA's office. Michelle Morris Kerin was arraigned Monday at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, but proceedings were continued to Thursday. The Kerins were arrested the morning of Aug. 5 at their La Cresta Highlands home. Edward was released from custody Sunday in lieu of $35,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 17. His wife remained behind bars Monday in lieu of $1 million bail, according to jail records. A title check showed the Kerins own the 6,680-square-foot single-family home in the La Cresta Highlands community. The 4.28-acre property is currently on the market for $1,597,000. According to Southern California News Group, the Kerins had other care facilities but the couple surrendered their license in 2019 following Diane's death; those in their care were placed elsewhere. Angel Ramirez, Diane's biological mother, had called for an investigation into the Kerins following her child's death. Diane was placed into foster care following Angel's eviction in 2018. "You guys took her to protect her, but you failed to protect her," Cadena said of the decision to place Diane into foster care. .