- The Utah Department of Health and Human Services revoked Safe and Sound Services' license after three men died while under the company's care last month.
- The company faces multiple noncompliance issues and must cease operations by March 31.
- Former employee Isaiah Vaughn Pulu, 25, is charged with three counts of murder.
WEST VALLEY CITY — The Utah Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday revoked the day treatment license of Safe and Sound Services after three people died of carbon monoxide poisoning under the program's care in February.
"It is our job to make sure programs comply with administrative rules and regulations designed to provide healthy and safe environments for those in care," said Shannon Thoman-Black, director of the department's Division of Licensing and Background Checks. "These rules and regulations are fundamental safeguards to protect vulnerable people being served in facilities and programs."
Isaiah Vaughn Pulu, 25, of West Valley City, was charged in February with three counts of murder, a first-degree felony, for each of the deaths of Colton Warren Moser, 25, Mosa'ati Moa, 22, and Tim Jones, 39. All three were residents at different group homes in West Valley City.
Pulu, a Safe and Sound employee who was supposed to safely transport the three disabled men, left them in a running van parked inside a closed garage for 4½ hours while he ate and watched anime, charging documents state.
"I just wanted to get some food and watch my show," Pulu told police, according to the charges.
Investigators, however, found doorbell camera videos that showed Pulu entering his apartment shortly after 9 a.m. He says when he went back to the garage about 1:30 p.m., he found the garage door closed and all three men unconscious.
As for the Department of Health and Human Services investigation, it uncovered multiple "serious noncompliances" with state rules.
"Including, but not limited to: not providing supervision commiserate with the behaviors and needs of each client and not protecting three clients from abuse, harm, mistreatment, or any action that may compromise the health and safety of clients," Thoman-Black said. "Based on these severe noncompliances, the Department of Health and Human Services is revoking the day treatment license of Safe and Sound Services."
This means Safe and Sound will be unable to accept any new clients, and all services for existing clients must cease by March 31. Additionally, the owners can't reapply for a new license for five years.
But between now and March 31, Thoman-Black assured that the department will be keeping a close eye on Safe and Sound, conducting weekly inspections.
Andrew Adams, KSL"If we identify areas of concern during these inspections, we will return as often as necessary to make sure that people are safe, and we will verify that the program is no longer serving people as of March 31," Thoman-Black said.
As for the patients currently under the care of Safe and Sound, Thoman-Black said the department will work with patients and their support systems to transfer them to a new program.
The revocation notice also showed two noncompliance issues with Safe and Sound from March 2024 for "allowing a direct care staff to work unsupervised before having a background clearance" and "not having staff complete suicide training."
