Arizona man arrested for faking Down syndrome, abusing caregivers
Sep 14, 2018, 9:51 AM | Updated: 12:59 pm
PHOENIX — An Arizona man was arrested earlier this month for allegedly pretending to have Down syndrome and abusing three women whom he hired as caregivers to bathe him and change his diapers.
Court documents showed that 31-year-old Paul Anthony Menchaca posed as a woman on a jobsite for caregivers called CareLinx.com seeking assistance for her 30-year-old son, later identified as Menchaca.
Menchaca was arrested on Sept. 6 for three counts of fraudulent schemes and five counts of sexual abuse.
He allegedly hired three women individually over a four-month period in Gilbert, Chandler and Tempe. One of the victims cared for him at least 30 times.
All three women said Menchaca became aroused every time his diaper was changed and when he was bathed. One of the women said on at least five occasions Menchaca “aggressively said his genitals were not cleaned enough so [the victim]…wiped them more thoroughly.”
Menchaca posed as his fake mother, “Amy,” in all his communications with the caregivers through text messages. He also relayed care instructions through the messages.
Menchaca, as “Amy,” also asked the women to punish him when he soiled his diaper by putting him in timeout and taking away his privileges, court documents said.
The victims were all paid in cash when they picked up or dropped off Menchaca from “neutral locations.”
One of the women became suspicious of Menchaca’s behavior and followed him on Sept. 2 after dropping him off at a neutral location.
When she arrived at his home, she knocked on his front door and was greeted by Menchaca’s parents, who said the man had neither physical nor developmental problems.
When confronted by the victims, Menchaca admitted he lied to them about his mental condition.
In a video of an initial court appearance, Menchaca said he has special needs and a low IQ level. He had not obtained an attorney.
Menchaca will appear in court next on Monday for a preliminary hearing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.