Trapped by a secret camera: Shocking film shows caregivers 'beating autistic man who can't speak HUNDREDS of times'

Two caregivers have been caught on hidden surveillance cameras abusing a severely autistic man hundreds of times over a three week period, police said.



Due to his autism, the 23-year-old victim from Valley Center, California, is nonverbal, which meant he couldn’t communicate the abuse he was suffering.



One of the caregivers was arrested on Wednesday night and an arrest warrant was issued for the other suspect, Michael Garritson, who handed himself into police last night.



Garritson, 61, was tried and acquitted in the murder case of a toddler, who died in 1979.



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Michael Garritson, 61, and Matthew McDuffie, 27, allegedly beat the 23-year-old autistic man hundreds of times over a three week period. Due to his non-verbal condition, the victim couldn't communicate the abuse.

Horrific: In the surveillance video Garritson appears to be holding the 23-year-old's head down

The victim’s family had installed a video surveillance system in the man’s bedroom just before the assaults were discovered, Sgt. Mark Varnau said.

The man's mother installed the cameras because they suspected the 23-year-old was being abused, reported the San Diego Valley Times.

In August, the family told police that Garritson and 27-year-old Matthew McDuffie had been caught on camera abusing the disabled man.



A shocking photo, first posted on Fox 5 San Diego , seemingly shows McDuffie abusing the 23-year-old.



Disturbing: In the harrowing video, the autistic man continually moans out and appears to raise his arms to protect himself

Shocking: At one point, Garritson appears to forcefully shove the man onto his bed

Both of the suspects had been employed by the family to care for the man for more than two years.



It is not known how long the victim was abused for, reported the Valley Times, and the man was unable to tell others what was happening.



Sgt. Mark Varnau told the Valley Times that it was one of the worst abuse cases he had ever seen.

The disabled victim was punched, slapped and had his arm twisted among other things, Varnau said.



After looking at more than 2,000 video recordings, detectives obtained arrested warrants for Garritson and McDuffie.



McDuffie was arrested on Wednesday night and booked into jail on multiple felony counts of abusing a dependent adult. He is scheduled to appear in court on Friday morning.



Garritson handed himself into police last night after t he Sheriff’s department asked for the public’s help in locating him.



Garritson was acquitted of second-degree murder in a 1979 case involving a 13-month-old boy who died of a skull fracture while being baby sat at Garritson’s home.



During a 1985 trial, prosecutors alleged that Garritson threw the child down some stairs. However, his wife testified that she accidentally dropped the baby while her husband was out jogging.



A jury deadlocked 11-1 in favor of convicting Garritson, and a mistrial was declared. The following year Garritson was acquitted in the case by an Orange County Superior Court judge.



In 2002, Garritson was arrested after police found 160 dogs in his home, which he was illegally running as a kennel. The animals were being kept in filthy conditions and some of the dogs had to be euthanized. In 2003, Garritson pleaded guilty to one felony count of animal abuse.

Both Garritson and McDuffie are being held on a $1million bond.