Announcer: LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN
DETROIT, LOCAL 4 NEWS AT 5:30
STARTS NOW!
Devin: A CASE OF DEADLY
NEGLECT 5.
A MAN'S WIFE DIED.
THE 61-YEAR-OLD WOMAN DIED FROM
SOURCE THAT BECAME EXTREMELY
INFECTED.
Kim: AND NOW HER HUSBAND HAS
BEEN CHARGED IN HER DEATH.
ROD MELONI IS FOLLOWING THIS
STORY FOR US TONIGHT.
THE HUSBAND HAD BEEN HER
CARETAKER, IS THAT RIGHT?
Rod: THIS IS VERY, VERY SAD
BUSINESS HERE.
BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE IS A
SITUATION WHERE A HUSBAND AND
WIFE WHO WE'RE TOLD BY ALL
ACCOUNTS LOVED EACH OTHER.
THE WIFE WAS MORBIDLY
INCONTENT, AND DIABETES.
HE WAS ARRESTED LAST THURSDAY ON
CHARGES STEMMING FROM DEBORAH'S
DEATH LAST JUNE.
MICHIGAN HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
CALLED POLICE TO INVESTIGATE THE
LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE MOBILE
HOME AND FOUND A SITUATION
MAKING THEM PHYSICALLY ILL.
THEY BACKED OUT, CALLED EMTs WHO
BROUGHT HER TO THE HOSPITAL
WHERE SHE DIED A FEW DAYS LATER
FROM COMPLICATIONS BROUGHT ON BY
INFECTION.
MSP LIEUTENANT DESCRIBES A
TERRIBLE SCENE.
TO HAVE AN ABSCESS THAT LARGE
WITH LIVE INSECTS INSIDE OF IT
SHOWS SOMEONE NEGLECTED THIS
PERSON TO THE POINT WHERE THEY
ENDED UP PASSING AWAY.
Rod: THE WAYNE COUNTY MEDICAL
EXAMINER CALLED IT A HOMICIDE,
HIS NEIGHBORS SAID HE DID
EVERYTHING HE COULD FOR HER.
IT SHOULDN'T BE LIKE, THIS
THAT'S ALL I KNOW.
THOSE TWO LOVED EACH OTHER AND
HE TOOK CARE OF HER BETTER THAN
ANYBODY ELSE WOULD HAVE EVER
TOOK CARE OF HER.
HE WENT FARTHER THAN ANYONE ELSE
WOULD HAVE.
Rod: BUT HE ALLOWED HER
HEALTH TO QUICKLY DETERIORATE IN
THE LAST MONTH OF HER LIFE.
SHE WAS AT A NURSING CARE
FACILITY.
WHEN SHE WAS RELEASED FROM THE
NURSING CARE FACILITY, SHE WAS
RELEASED TO MR. SHELTON, AND SHE
WAS IN GOOD HEALTH AT THAT TIME,
DIABETES IN CHECK AND RELEASED
TO THE CARE AND CUSTODY OF HER
HUSBAND.
Rod: HE GOES BACK TO COURT
FOR A PRELIMINARY EXAM.
AND A VERY, VERY SAD CASE, BACK
TO YOU.
Kim: I KNOW THE CARETAKER
ROLE CAN BE A LOT FOR LOVED ONES
TO TAKE ON.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU'RE A
SPOUSE?
Rod: HE SHOULD HAVE CALLED
FOR HELP FROM HEALTH & HUMAN
SERVICES, THINGS LIKE FREE
MATTRESSES AND THE LIKE AND THEY
COULD HAVE HELPED HIM, INSTEAD
