Charity Denies Injured Vet Donated Home

The family of Army Sgt. David Battle said confusion over a charity's gift and their use of injury pay from the Army has placed a dark cloud over the injured veteran's homecoming and his future.

Two years ago, Sgt. Battle lost an arm and two legs when he stepped on a roadside bomb during his second tour in Iraq.

On his first trip back to Georgia, he wasn't sure if he would be cheered or booed.

As soon as Battle touched down in Atlanta, there was applause. A patriot guard escorted him home to Fayette County where everyone from the fire department to the neighbor kids, stopped by with gifts.

It was not what he and his family expected.

"I've been on the Inteet, looking at blogs from different people, and one that hit me the most was, 'Sgt. David Battle: Hero or Fraud?'" said Battle. It was a painful question for the soldier.

Battle has been getting treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center. Because he still has years of therapy ahead him, a non-profit charity, "Homes For Our Troops," built a $800,000 house in a Baltimore suburb, near the hospital, for the Battles and their four children.

However, the day before they were set to get the keys to their new home, the charity decided not to give it to the family -- calling them deceptive.

"I'm not a fraud. I didn't hide anything," said Battle.

At issue, is two homes the battles bought in Georgia with the $100,000 injury pay the Army gave them. The couple said the houses are investiments and that they only planned to use one when the family was in town visiting family.

The charity said the family hid the properties in Fayette County and would not have been eligible for the gift, if they already had a place to live.

"How did your family intend to use these houses?" asked FOX 5 reporter Chris Shaw.

"These houses were intended for rental properties," said David's wife, Lakeisa Battle.

"Never planned on living in them full time?" asked Shaw.

"No," she said.

The Baltimore non-profit group tells a much different story. They said when they first approached the Battles about the houses, Mrs. Battle told them it was owned by her cousin.

The group believes that they and the hundreds of volunteers, who built the Baltimore home, were taken advantage of.

The Battles believe they're being punished for investing in real estate.

"Is there any chance you can get that house back?" asked Shaw.

"I have no idea," said Sgt. Battle.

"We really, really, you know...need this house," said his wife.

Without the Baltimore home or any home that is wheelchair accessible, the Battles said they will have to retu to the Fischer House at Walter Reed Medical Center where the six-member family shared a two bedroom apartment.

Homes For Our Troops said they will look for another veteran to put in that house that was originally built for the Battles