It was supposed to be the perfect home for a deserving family. Volunteers rallied to build a brand new house in Pasadena for a wounded veteran. But they are keeping the keys after discovering the family already owns two homes in Georgia.
The brand new $800,000 home on Long Hill Road in Pasadena was supposed to be a dream come true for Sergeant David Battle and his family. Everything about it was specially designed and built for the wounded veteran who lost both his legs and an arm in Iraq. It's wheelchair accessible with hardwood floors, a special harness lift in the master suite, and fully furnished throughout.
Aaron Drummond who co-founded Arrisbrook Builders, the general contractor for the project says, "The kitchen was specially designed… a wheelchair can have access under the sink or stove or the work area."
The project was a true labor of love. Everything in the fully furnished home was donated by people in the community. They gave toys for the kids even Christmas decorations to make things complete. A veteran who just returned from the war even donated his own sofa and TV.
But the sergeant's name was etched out of the front sign at the last minute after a disheartening turn of events. Drummond says, "I was very surprised as I think everybody was."
Volunteers were about to turn over the keys to the Battle's this week. They thought they had built a custom home for a needy family that had no other place to call home. The non-profit group "Homes For Our Troops" had rallied volunteers to build the home after Sergeant Battle's wife contacted the group.
But as it turns out, the family already owns two homes in Georgia, a fact they didn't disclose until they were confronted about it.
A cousin in Georgia says the family wasn't trying to deceive anyone. The Battle's bought the two homes as investment properties with the compensation money they received from the Army.
Cheri Hardage, a cousin says, “They are distraught. They didn’t sleep for the past two days. I mean all of a sudden he’s thrown into a turmoil. He was thinking his life was getting ready to be back together somewhat, that they would have a place they could call home and be there and be settled."
But the family won't be settling into the new home. Instead, it will go to another wounded veteran and his family.
A welcome home ceremony is planned for the Battle’s tomorrow in Georgia. A volunteer group there renovated one of the Battle's homes to make it wheelchair accessible. The family says they have no intention of living in the houses in Georgia.
