North Branford Group Home Operator Sued Over Hiring of Convicted Felon Who Allegedly Abused Two Residents

North Branford Group Home Operator Faces Civil Lawsuit Over Employee Background

A civil lawsuit filed in February 2026 accuses Resources for Human Development (RHD), the nonprofit operating a group home on Deforest Road in North Branford, of hiring an employee with an extensive criminal history who allegedly physically abused two non-verbal, intellectually disabled residents.

The lawsuit claims RHD failed to perform adequate background checks before hiring Khatib Abbass, a 65-year-old Hamden man, and allowed him to work with vulnerable residents despite a record that included felony convictions. According to WTNH’s reporting on the lawsuit, the complaint alleges the abuse led to multiple hospitalizations for at least one resident.

The Arrest

North Branford police arrested Abbass at his Hamden home on December 29, 2025. He was charged with two counts of second-degree reckless endangerment and two counts of disorderly conduct — separate cases for each victim. He was released on $10,000 bond per case and appeared in New Haven Superior Court on January 9, 2026.

The facility on Deforest Road is a Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS) group home managed by RHD, a nonprofit headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

How the Abuse Was Discovered

The North Branford Police Department opened a criminal investigation on August 5, 2025, after allegations of abuse surfaced involving a 39-year-old non-verbal male resident with developmental disabilities. While reviewing surveillance footage as part of that probe, investigators identified a second victim: a 35-year-old non-verbal female resident, who appeared to have been dragged by the same employee.

Police obtained search warrants and conducted multiple interviews. Abbass was identified as the suspect in both cases through the surveillance video and subsequent investigation. According to the department, officers “worked closely with the victims’ parents and family members throughout the investigation.”

What the Lawsuit Claims

The February 2026 civil suit targets RHD’s management rather than Abbass alone. WTNH, which reported on the lawsuit filing, stated the complaint alleges that Abbass had a prior felony record at the time he was hired — including an assault conviction dating to 1996 and a third-degree larceny conviction from 1999, among other offenses.

The lawsuit further alleges RHD employed staff who were unqualified to work with people with developmental disabilities, and that the organization failed to protect residents from ongoing harm. The civil case represents an effort to hold the organization’s management accountable beyond the criminal charges filed against Abbass individually.

RHD has not issued a public statement in connection with the North Branford case.

About Resources for Human Development

Resources for Human Development is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit providing services to people with intellectual disabilities, mental health conditions, and substance use disorders. In Connecticut, the organization operates group homes licensed by the state’s Department of Developmental Services, which oversees and monitors residential programs for adults with intellectual disabilities.

The Connecticut DDS had not released a public statement about the Deforest Road facility as of late February 2026.

What’s Next

Abbass faces four criminal charges across two cases at New Haven Superior Court. The civil lawsuit against RHD is in its early stages, with no trial date or settlement announced.

The case has drawn attention to hiring and background check practices at DDS-licensed group homes in Connecticut. Families of residents at other RHD facilities and advocacy groups for people with developmental disabilities have not publicly commented on the North Branford situation.

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