Missouri City caregiver accused of beating 75-year-old was hired despite criminal record, boss says

MISSOURI CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- A caregiver is in the Fort Bend County Jail after being accused of savagely beating a man at a boarding home in Missouri City.

Patrick Ray Piggee, 53, faces two counts of injury to the elderly with bodily injury and continuous family violence.

According to Missouri City police, the assaults happened at a boarding home owned by Allstar Boarding and located in the Hunters Glen subdivision. A 75-year-old man was hospitalized and remains in the ICU.

"I cried. I was devastated. It was not anything I wanted anyone to endure. What he did was god-awful," Nikki Fant, the owner of Allstar Boarding, said. "No, I didn't' see it coming. I was completely blindsided."

Fant told ABC13 when she hired Piggee about two months ago, she was aware of his criminal record, which included mostly drug charges.

But, she says, he was persistent and the convictions were not violent so she gave him a job. Piggee said she ran the home which houses mostly men who are diagnosed with dementia.

Police say they were called to the home on July 29 for an assault. Fant said a second person was also assaulted and Piggee was arrested.

"I just hope he never sees freedom again. What he did was atrocious," Fant said.

The home, one of three run by Allstar Boarding, is not licensed. Fant said it's not required because it is classified as a boarding home. A spokesperson with Texas Health and Human Services could not immediately verify that to ABC13.

The family of the 75-year-old man declined to comment.

Piggee is being held on bonds totaling $20,000. Missouri City police say the investigation is ongoing.

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