Woman arrested for locking quadriplegic man in moving truck

VALLEJO, Calif. (KGO) -- A Vallejo woman is under arrest after allegedly locking a 57-year-old quadriplegic man, for whom she worked as primary caregiver, in the back of a moving truck and leaving him unattended.

"It was relatively a warm day, the individual had no access to ventilated air, no access to water and we believe that was inappropriate," Vallejo Police Lt. Kenny Park said.

Shassreea James, 43, told police she had left the victim so that she could go to the bathroom, but a Glen Cove resident walking his dog heard someone calling for help from the back of the parked, locked truck and immediately called police.

"They opened up the roll-up doors and located a 57-year-old male quadriplegic victim along with two dogs and a mattress inside the back of the truck," Park said.

One resident says she knew something was odd about seeing a truck simply sitting on the street.

"That was very odd because there's no U-Haul trucks just parked sitting, so that was kind of odd and it caught my attention," she said.

After questioning James, officers learned that she was also wanted for felony burglary. She was taken into custody and arrested on suspicion of elder abuse.

Police say that this is still an active investigation; they're looking to see if the suspect worked as the solo caregiver or if she had an accomplice. Although the victim is not 65 or older, he may be considered the victim of elder abuse because he falls under the legal definition of a 'dependent' adult.

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