On May 5, 2025, members of the State Police arrested Cornelius M. Guerard, 28, of Norfolk, NY, and Amy L. Gardner, 52, of Massena, NY, for Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person in the 1st degree.
The arrests followed an incident on April 19, 2025, involving a service recipient from Sunmount and staff members. On May 1, 2025, State Police consulted with the Office of Special Prosecutor/Inspector General for the Justice Center regarding this incident. It was revealed that three staff members were assigned to transport the service recipient to the hospital for an unrelated matter. A multi-agency investigation concluded that Guerard and Gardner failed to provide proper care for the service recipient during the transport to and from the hospital.
Guerard and Gardner were processed at SP Tupper Lake and were subsequently arraigned in the Village of Tupper Lake Court. They were later released on their own recognizance.
The Office of Special Prosecutor/Inspector General for the Justice Center and the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office assisted with this incident.
