Barbara Ann Matthews
Special agents in the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit have obtained indictments for a caregiver accused of mishandling prescription medication for an adult in her care.
After receiving information from the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, TBI special agents began investigating Barbara Ann Matthews on June 26. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that in March 2015, Ms. Matthews, the director of Residential Operations for New Life of Winchester, failed to administer prescription hydrocodone for a resident in her care, having lost the medication due to her failure to adhere to medication management policy. Additionally, the investigation revealed Ms. Matthews dispensed an unverified prescription narcotic to the patient to replace the medication she misplaced.
On Tuesday, the Franklin County grand jury returned indictments for Ms. Matthews, charging the 48-year-old Huntland woman with one count of neglect of an impaired adult, one count of felony delivery of a Schedule III narcotic, and one count of casual exchange.
On Wednesday, authorities from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office arrested Ms. Matthews and booked her into the county’s jail, from which she was released after posting a $5,000 bond.
Ms. Matthews’ status with the company is unknown at this time.