Gruesome but not surprising is the story of a New York elderly woman starved to death by her unemployed, 47-year-old daughter who was supposedly “taking care” of her 78-year-old mother.
Charged with second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and endangering the welfare of a vulnerable, elderly person is Albany resident Carol Adams, who now faces up to 15 years in prison. She is being held in jail without bail in according to the Times-Union in Albany.
When Adams came to her senses, it was too late. After she called 9-1-1 in mid-January, paramedics and police arrived to find the mother dead and emaciated. Police said the woman looked like someone in a prison camp.
“I don't think we've ever seen anything like this, this poor woman," Albany County District Attorney David Soares said in late April.
Adams’ home was a wreck. Inside the refrigerator, authorities found ketchup, mustard and some butter but no food. The daughter said she had been “feeding” her mother only small pieces of a chocolate doughnut, the Times-Union reported.
Albany County prosecutors said the daughter was “taking care” of her mother for 4-5 months after she and her brother had a spat. Authorities still haven’t determined why the daughter stopped feeding her mother.
Albany County Sheriff James Campbell said three eviction notices were served to the home in the last three years. Authorities telephoned Adams’ son but have not yet made contact
Elder abuse is a hidden problem, said Sharon Merriman-Nai, co-manager of the National Center of Elder Abuse (NCEA), based at the University of Delaware in Newark. NCEA statistics from 1998 reveal only 16 percent of elder abuse cases are committed by non-relatives. That means 84 percent of elder abuse in the United States is committed by spouses, children, grandchildren or other relatives. For every one report of elder abuse, Merriman-Nai said, an estimated five go unreported.
Abuse by relatives isn’t as radical in New York State but still alarming. The Times-Union reported New York State's office of Adult Protection Services (APS) received 33,380 referrals in 2007, 60 percent which involved adults over 60. According to statistics from 1997, 34 percent of elder abusers in New York were adult children, 26 percent were spouses and 26 percent were non-relatives.
It’s easy to see why elder abuse cases go unreported. The elderly fear retribution from their abusers, are in denial that a relative would mistreat them, think authorities wouldn’t believe them or are unaware of the situation due to dementia.
NCEA’s Merriman-Nai said when adult children are caregivers, they frequently are financially dependent on the victim. "In particular, when the caregiver has an impairment, maybe a substance abuse issue or mental health problem, that contributes to their capacity to care for someone," Merriman-Nai said.
Dr. Lesley Danskin, medical director at The Community Hospice in Albany, said it was obvious Adams never took her mother for a medical evaluation. "Why was her mother not eating? Was it because she couldn't physically or because she had a psychological or a medical problem that was limiting her ability to take in things orally, or was she not provided with food?" Danskin said. "That, unfortunately, is the question." Danskin said a doctor could have treated any underlying illness and added a physician suspecting abuse would have contacted APS.
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