'The system is whack': Retired teacher says unlicensed care home highlights high cost of healthcare

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Paul Bennett did not envision his retirement the way it has gone.

The oldest of three siblings was already caring for his ailing father when his younger sister, Marcella Bennett, suffered a massive stroke in 2024 that left her partially paralyzed.

"I never thought I would be that person they talk about on the news who is experiencing hardship because of medical issues," Bennett, a retired teacher, said. "I never thought that would be me."

Searching for an assisted living facility became overwhelming. Bennett says licensed homes cost nearly $5,000 a month, far more than his family could afford.

Then, he says, a nurse referred him to Jennifer Rios.

"When this nursing friend said, 'I know somebody who can do it for $2,000 a month,' we jumped on it," Bennett said.

For nearly a year, his sister lived at a home on Ivy Court in Panorama Village. Bennett says he visited and never saw anything that concerned him. Both her sister and the spacious home were well cared for, he says, and she would have stayed longer.

"The money ran out and I had to bring her home," he said.

That was last year.

Now, Rios is charged with operating an assisted living facility without a license.

According to court records, investigators recently found bedridden residents living in the home without an automatic fire sprinkler or fire alarm system. They were all relocated after authorities determined the home was operating without a state license.

Police continue to investigate and are asking former residents, employees, caregivers, family members and anyone familiar with homes operated by Rios, also known as Jennifer O'Neal, to come forward.

Bennett says if Rios failed to follow state regulations, she should be held accountable.

"I know the regulations are important and we need regulations," he said.

But he believes the case also highlights the high cost of long-term care.

"There's a reason why people like Jennifer Rios exist," Bennett said.

He says years of caring for his father and sister forced him to sell property, take out payday loans and spend countless hours trying to navigate the health care system.

"It's been a nightmare," Bennett said.

He hopes his family's experience sheds light on the difficult choices many families face when affordable care is out of reach.

"The health care system just doesn't affect the person you're getting services for. It affects everyone else around them," he said. "This system is totally whack. This is a whack system we live in."

SEE ALSO: Records: Woman charged after bedridden patients found in home with no fire safety protections