An Arizona man has been charged with vulnerable adult abuse after police discovered his disabled adult son in a bathtub during a welfare check.
Melvin Shimkus, 52, was arrested following the discovery on June 29 in Maricopa County. Officers found the 31-year-old victim emaciated and covered in feces, with severe injuries including a leg bent at an unnatural angle.
The man had reportedly been in the tub since mid-May. An arrest affidavit described a strong odor in the home and noted the victim's right leg was tied with small ropes.
Shimkus told police he had been caring for his son for about a year and offered to take him to the hospital, but the victim refused. The son was hospitalized after the check, though his condition remains unknown.
Shimkus is being held on a $12,000 bond.