SC - Anne Copeland, 98, dies of extreme neglect, St George, 7 Dec 2010

ST. GEORGE -- A 98-year-old woman who died Tuesday was being neglected by her primary caregiver, her 60-year-old daughter, police said.

Police were summoned by EMS workers to the East George Street home of Anne Copeland about 6:20 p.m. Monday. The elderly woman was lying in a soiled bed, said St. George Police Lt. Eric Bonnette, commander of the detective division. She had numerous sores, he said.

The house was unheated and filthy, with animal droppings and odors throughout, he said.

"It was cold, but a window in her room was open to let out the smell of the rotting flesh," Bonnette said. Several of her bed sores were open and one on her hip was so bad it had matted to the bedding.

Bonnette said he thinks Copeland had not been turned in bed for more than a week.


more here

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/dec/08/worst-case-ive-ever-seen/

=====================

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Police said Wednesday they believe the dying pleas of a neglected, elderly woman were echoed by her parrot as they combed through her fetid home.

Police Lt. Eric Bonnette said the bird mimicked the plaintive words of 98-year-old Anne Copeland, haunting authorities as they searched the house, which reeked of rotting flesh and animal feces.

"Once we pulled the blanket from over him he would keep saying, 'Help. Help.' And then he would laugh," Bonnette said. They believe the laughter was an imitation of Copeland's adult daughter, who was charged with abuse and neglect resulting in death of a vulnerable adult.

more here

http://www.wbaltv.com/r/26068942/detail.html


:rose: RIP, Ms. Copeland

omg - that is so sad. What is wrong with people -- and how could she do that to her own mother?

Not a good read to start my day....



Mel

What a sad and tragic case.

They should put the daughter in a cell and neglect to feed and care for her.

IMO

Wow, TM. This one really breaks my heart. I care for my mom who has Alzheimers and my 92 yo GM who is in really good physical condition, but I can't imagine the lack of humanity it took to do this to this woman. May God have pity on her, because I can't (the caregiver, not the victim, God Bless Her)
About the parrott, my dad had one for years that he had taught so many sentences and songs, you just wouldn't believe it. He could sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", Old McDonald had a Farm, and You are my Sunshine" all the way through. But every word he said (he would even pray), was in my dad's voice. Every nuance, every inflection. When dad passed we gave the bird to his best friend who had always loved him. That's been ten years ago and Pepper (the bird) is still going strong and stll sounding like my dad. I can barely stand to visit these loving folks.
This bird had also saved my dad's life when their house caught on fire in the cellar and dad was upstairs asleep. Pepper screamed so loud and so different than any other sound he had ever made that dad awoke instantly to a house filled with smoke. Pepper was at the vet's hospital for a week with smoke inhalation, but he survived and so did my dad.
I didn't mean to take away from the tragedy of what happened to this poor woman because it breaks my heart, I can only imagine how the emergency responders felt when they heard this bird calling out in the woman's voice.
You guys don't want to hear what I think about the caregiver, so I'll just leave that alone.
Becky

This is not related to the specific case in the above story; however...3 weeks ago, I was out walking and heard the voice of a woman yelling from a window that was covered by a windowblind: 'Help, I said, please help me!' as I was passing by. I reported it to LE who asked me: Is the home empty? I said: the home is being renovated for sale. They said they would send a squad to check.

What would you have done in my situation?

Mrs. Copeland lives to be 98 years old, then has to die so neglected. I sincerely hope that there are other family members this so-called daughter has to answer to. There is no punishment too severe for anyone who will abuse the elderly, babies, children, and the disabled.

May Mrs. Copeland rest in Heavenly Peace. At least she will know no more pain and the sorrow of knowing her own daughter let her lie there and deteriorate in such filth.

“We are highly concerned anytime some like this happens to someone we may have had contact with — absolutely, “ said Virginia Williamson, DSS general counsel and deputy state director. The agency is pulling records, talking to caseworkers and seeing what the agency did and whether procedures were followed, she said

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2010/12/10/1599295/sheriff-where-was-dss-when-bedridden.html#ixzz17k1ugLBV