Lawsuit Alleges Abuse at North Branford Group Home; Worker Arrested

Lawsuit Alleges Abuse at North Branford Group Home

A civil lawsuit filed in February accuses the operator of a North Branford group home of failing to protect two non-verbal, intellectually disabled residents from an employee who allegedly dragged, struck, and injured them over the course of nearly a year.

The lawsuit, filed by the New Haven law firm Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante, names Resources for Human Development (RHD) as the defendant. RHD, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that runs more than 160 social service programs in 14 states, operates the group home on Deforest Road through a contract with the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services.

The accused employee, Khatib Abbass, 65, of Hamden, was arrested by North Branford police in late December 2025 and charged with two counts each of reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct. He was released on a $10,000 bond per case and appeared in New Haven Superior Court in January.

Video Captured the Alleged Abuse

The suit was filed on behalf of John Cunha, a non-verbal man with autism and intellectual disabilities who lives at the Deforest Road facility. His sister, Maria Cunha, was appointed as his legal guardian in July 2025 after the family grew alarmed by a series of unexplained injuries.

The trouble started in October 2024. On Oct. 28, Cunha was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital after staff reported he was pale, lethargic, and "not acting like himself." Hospital records showed a bruised spleen with a hematoma measuring 4.5 by 3.5 centimeters and an accumulation of blood between his inner abdominal wall and organs.

After that hospitalization, the Cunha family insisted on having video cameras installed inside the group home. The cameras captured what the lawsuit describes as direct evidence of abuse.

On July 20, 2025, footage showed an RHD employee dragging Cunha across the floor and down a hallway by his right arm. On Aug. 5, video captured Cunha being struck. His father was alerted that same day about both incidents. Medical examination revealed swelling in his left hand, abrasions to his right foot, bruising on his left bicep, and a chronic forearm fracture.

A Convicted Felon on Staff

The lawsuit alleges that RHD failed to properly vet, train, or supervise Abbass, who was hired in April 2024 — months before Cunha's hospital visits began.

According to the suit, Abbass was a convicted felon at the time of his hiring. His criminal record includes convictions for assault in 1996, third-degree larceny in 1999, counterfeiting and forgery in 2007, and additional charges under the alias Mark Jenkins, including criminal impersonation and fraudulently obtaining benefits.

During the police investigation, officers discovered surveillance footage showing Abbass had also allegedly abused a second resident — a 35-year-old non-verbal woman with developmental disabilities. The two arrest warrants cover both victims.

North Branford Police Officer Michael Torre and the department's Detective Bureau conducted the investigation, which included reviewing surveillance video, executing search warrants, and interviewing family members. The New Haven State's Attorney's Office reviewed the warrants before Abbass was arrested at his Hamden home in late December 2025.

RHD Has Not Responded

Resources for Human Development has not publicly commented on either the lawsuit or the criminal charges. News outlets that attempted to reach the organization did not receive a response.

RHD's Connecticut operations, directed from an office in Hamden, include nine community living arrangements across the state. The nonprofit was named one of Forbes' Best Midsize Employers in 2025.

The civil case is being handled by Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante, a New Haven firm. The criminal case against Abbass is proceeding through New Haven Superior Court. No additional arrests have been announced, and it is not known whether Abbass remains employed by RHD.

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