Autistic Man Branded with Kitchen Tool Sues State-Run Residential Facility

A man who suffers from severe autism is suing a New York City residential facility where an employee branded him with a heated potato masher, according to court documents.

The suit, which is set to be filed in Bronx Supreme Court by 24-year-old Eduardo Sandoval, names the Leake & Watts state residential facility and the employees who allegedly branded him as defendants.

The incident occurred in June 2012 when Sandoval was a resident at the home. Two employees, Wendell Chavies and Asialone Edwards, allegedly heated a metal potato masher and pressed it into the flesh on the left side of Sandoval’s torso. He has a permanent scar as a result of the incident.

The lawsuit accuses the facility of negligence in failing to properly train and supervise employees.