Memphis Caregiver Indicted in Vulnerable Adult Abuse Case

MEMPHIS – An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Medicaid Fraud Control Division has resulted in the arrest of a Memphis woman on a charge of abusing a vulnerable adult in her care.

TBI began its investigation into Tiaranee Phillips (DOB: 7/30/93) of Memphis, in August, after receiving information from the Tennessee Department of Human Services Adult Protective Services and the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.  During the investigation, agents determined Phillips, while working as a caregiver, assaulted a physically disabled, vulnerable adult at a residence in the 3000 block of Darrow Road in Memphis.

On November 9th, the Shelby County Grand Jury returned an indictment, charging Phillips with one count of Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult.  Thursday, Phillips surrendered to the Shelby County Jail East Women’s Facility, where she is being held on $25,000 bond.  Phillips is no longer employed as a caregiver.

Note: The TBI’s Medicaid Fraud Control Division received 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $6,879,772.50 for federal Fiscal Year 2022. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $2,293,257.00 for Fiscal Year 2021-2022, is funded by the State of Tennessee.

###

About TBI

Since 1980, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has served as the state’s independent, lead law enforcement agency. Every day, focused on the agency’s core values of truth, bravery, and integrity, the TBI’s approximately 600 employees provide a variety of advanced criminal and drug investigative, forensic, and criminal justice services to assist local, state, and federal law enforcement tn.gov/tbi, and connect with the agency on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @TBInvestigation.