Calif. couple who fostered disabled children indicted again on suspicion of murder, endangerment

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (TCD) -- The Riverside County District Attorney's Office unsealed a 15-count indictment last week, charging a couple again on suspicion of murder and endangerment against multiple disabled dependents in their care.

Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin announced that a grand jury charged 82-year-old Michelle Morris-Kerin and her husband, 81-year-old Edward Kerin, on multiple counts of involuntary manslaughter and other charges. The owners of Morris Small Family Home were arraigned Thursday, Dec. 7, and both pleaded not guilty.

Morris-Kerin faces 15 counts, including murder, involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment, dependent adult endangerment likely to cause great bodily injury or death, and lewd acts on dependent adults. Kerin's charges include involuntary manslaughter, child endangerment, dependent adult endangerment, and lewd acts on dependent adults.

According to KTLA-TV, the suspects cared for disabled dependents, but their care home has since been closed.

The Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, the district attorney's office, and other agencies launched an investigation into the couple's care facility following the death of 17-year-old Diane "Princess" Ramirez on April 6, 2019. At the time of her death, Ramirez was living at Morris Small Family Home under the suspects' care.

According to the district attorney's office, Morris-Kerin failed to seek help for Ramirez "even though she vomited blood several times, had inconsistent vital signs, and had been in pain for an estimated eight or nine hours." Prosecutors allege Kerin neglected Ramirez before her death.

The couple's facility was reportedly "not properly staffed for 24-hour care, and medical records were not properly maintained."

A grand jury previously indicted the couple on 14 counts in August 2021. However, on April 28, 2022, the court dismissed Morris-Kerin's murder charge. Following the dismissal, the district attorney's office said investigators obtained additional evidence and presented the case to a grand jury, which led to the indictment.

According to Hestrin, the couple allegedly continuously abused and neglected dependent children and adults, as well as allegedly sexually abusing three adult dependents under their care.

The district attorney's office alleges some of the adult victims didn't have the "mental capacity to give consent but engaged in sexual activities facilitated and encouraged by both defendants."

Morris-Kern’s bail was set at $50,000 and Kerin’s at $35,000. They were released on their own recognizance but must pay those bail amounts by Friday, Dec. 15.

The couple is scheduled to appear in court again on Jan. 26.

MORE:

• Criminal grand jury again indicts owner-operators of care home for murder and endangerment - Riverside County District Attorney's Office
• Criminal grand jury indicts owner/operators of care home on charges that include murder and endangerment, 8/9/2021 - Riverside County District Attorney's Office
• Riverside County foster mom again faces murder charge - KTLA