Apr. 7—PRESTON, Minn. — A former assisted care facility employee is facing criminal charges in Fillmore County after being accused of entering into a sexual relationship with one of the residents.
Dawn Deshell Isom, 48, of Cresco, Iowa, was charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct by engaging in a prohibited occupational relationship and one count of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.
Isom, who was employed at Harmony Place, entered into a five-month relationship with one of the residents in 2024. She told police that previous management approved the relationship.
According to the criminal complaint, Fillmore County law enforcement received a report from the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center on Sept. 9, 2024, alleging that Isom was misusing funds of a resident while having a sexual relationship with them.
Isom worked with the resident, whose care plan included assistance with medication administration, meals, bathing reminders, safety checks and housekeeping.
According to court documents, Isom said Harmony Place management gave her and the resident the “OK” to have a relationship in late April 2024. Their relationship ended in September 2025 when new management deemed it a conflict.
During their relationship, Isom began asking the man for money, court documents allege. He told police he gave Isom between $600 to $3,000 in cash to help pay for her rent, kids and food stamps. When interviewed, Isom told police that the resident stayed at her home for 10 days over the summer in 2024. According to the resident’s service record, he was on a leave of absence “with a friend.”
On Jan. 30, 2025, the Minnesota Department of Health investigated an allegation of maltreatment at Harmony Place. The investigation report, filed on Feb. 11, 2025, concluded that an individual was responsible for the maltreatment of the resident.
MDH found that the previous owners of Harmony Place indicated that Isom and the resident were in a consensual relationship and they did not find evidence of abuse, sexual or financial exploitation.
One of the nurses who work at the facility said she was aware of their relationship and told another staff member that she thought it was wrong. The other staff member told the nurse to “drop it,” court documents said.
The previous facility director said she was aware of the resident spending time outside of Harmony Place with Isom and was told to put her on probation as a result. An upper manager told the staff to add it to the resident’s care plan so Isom could continue working, court documents said.
“Facility has done an investigation and found no evidence of abuse, sexual, or financial exploitation. Statements available upon request,” the resident’s care plan said.
The resident spoke with law enforcement on March 24 and reported there were six sexual encounters with Isom that took place inside of Harmony Place.
When law enforcement contacted Isom, she denied that the sexual acts occurred at Harmony Place or in Minnesota.
According to the MDH’s investigation report, Isom no longer worked at the facility.
Harmony Place did not immediately respond to comment regarding the matter.
