Missouri Attorney General to Investigate Elder Abuse Hotline

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt says he will investigate troubles at the Missouri's elder abuse hotline.

Schmitt announced the investigation in a news release Wednesday, after reports that only about 50 percent of the nearly 92,000 calls to the hotline in 2018 were answered.

The Columbia Missourian and KBIA reported only about 39 percent of the calls answered between January and April this year have been answered.

Schmitt said he will investigate the severity of the claims made against the hotline. He also pledged to provide more resources until a remedy can be found, possibly including emergency court orders to protect members of vulnerable populations who need immediate assistance.