The latest Babcock Center abuse and neglect arrests come as no surprise to Chronicle readers.

5 Babcock employees are charged in two cases of abuse of vulnerable adults.

Babcock facilities receive state and federal money to care for adults with lifelong disabilities. This is not the first time its employees have been accused.

The SC Department of Disabilities & Special Needs and SC Department of Health and Human Services 12 years ago found many abuse and neglect cases.

The Chronicle reported on continuing abuse over 4 years and was sued by 3 Babcock employees including the executive director.

Of these, 2 dropped their suits and a circuit court judge directed a not guilty verdict in the 3rd for the newspaper and its owners.

Former Babcock Board Chair Patricia Harrison, an attorney who also was sued unsuccessfully, said other abuse cases are pending in Richland County Court.

In Estate of Edward Mims

v. DDSN, the SC Court of Appeals held that DDSN officials may be held liable for not protecting a Babcock client from abuse.

That case was scheduled for trial this month but the state’s attorneys have requested another delay.

In another court case, the parent of a Babcock client alleged her son died as a result of neglect at Babcock.

“Nothing seems to have changed at the Babcock Center,” Harrison said.

According to arrest warrants in the latest case:

• Celia Nesbitt is charged with two counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult.

• Erikca Fleming, Caroline Jankie, Roseola Minnifield and Sandra Tucker are charged with failure to report the abuse.

Fleming and Minnifield saw Nesbitt assault a resident at the Lexington facility in April. Investigators said Jankie and Tucker saw Nesbitt assault another resident in 2017.