Caretaker charged after leaving disabled man in rainy Casselberry park

A hired caretaker was charged after police said he left a developmentally disabled man alone under a pavilion at Secret Lake Park in Casselberry while he sat in a nearby car smoking marijuana.

Casselberry police said the concern began when staff at a nearby senior center noticed the man was being left unattended for extended periods. Officers later found him by himself in the park, which sits on Secret Lake and includes the Casselberry Recreation Center, restrooms, four pavilions, playgrounds, sports courts and a boardwalk. In cold, rainy weather, police said, the setting turned a public park into a place where a vulnerable adult was exposed and unsupervised.

Police identified the caretaker as Erickson Daniley. The man told officers he was physically unharmed, but wanted Daniley to stop smoking and vaping around him. Daniley was charged with neglect of an elderly or disabled adult and was scheduled to appear in court the following month.

The case raises immediate questions about how a paid caregiver was vetted, who was responsible for monitoring his work, and what level of training or supervision was expected when he was assigned to care for a disabled adult. Daniley told police he was affiliated with Savana Inc. A supervisor at the company’s listed address told News 6 that Daniley worked through a third-party agency, while that agency denied employing him and said he worked directly for Savana Inc. A Savana supervisor declined further comment until speaking with her supervisor.

Police records also said family members had recently seen troubling changes in the man’s behavior, including difficulty sleeping and attempts to inhale rubber gloves. Those details sharpen the concern around the case, which is not just about one bad decision at one park but about the fragile trust families place in paid caretakers who are supposed to protect adults who cannot safely protect themselves in the moment.

Florida law covers abuse, neglect and exploitation of elderly persons and disabled adults under Chapter 825. The Florida Department of Children and Families says suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation or self-neglect of vulnerable adults can be reported to the Florida Abuse Hotline around the clock, and 911 should be called first if a vulnerable adult is in immediate danger.