In a tragic turn of events, a 66-year-old woman from Florida faces charges of murder following the death of her 97-year-old mother, whom she claimed to have killed at her mother’s behest. The unsettling case has drawn attention to the complex issues surrounding end-of-life care.
Martha Jo Blake has been formally charged with first-degree murder after an autopsy concluded that her mother died from suffocation or strangulation. According to a report by the Palm Beach Post, the examination revealed a fresh neck fracture and internal hemorrhaging on both sides of her neck, alongside evidence suggesting something had been placed over her face.
Currently held without bond, Blake awaits a pretrial detention hearing that will determine her future. The incident unfolded when deputies responded to the Blake residence just before 8 a.m. last Friday, where they discovered the lifeless body of Patricia Blake. According to the arrest report, Martha Jo Blake had been her mother’s primary caregiver for the past five years, tending to her as she battled Parkinson’s disease and a thyroid disorder.
Initially, Blake informed investigators that she last saw her mother alive around 10 p.m. on Thursday night, according to details from WPEC. She recounted how her mother had expressed a desire to end her life due to her deteriorating health, a topic they had previously discussed with her physician in Maine, a state where “Death with Dignity” is legally recognized. However, such measures remain illegal in Florida, adding another layer of complexity to this heartbreaking situation.
Initially, she told investigators she had last seen her mother a alive at about 10 p.m. on Thursday, WPEC reported.
Blake said her mother had told her she wanted to die because of her health issues and had previously discussed that matter with her primary care physician in Maine, where “Death with Dignity” is legal. It is not in Florida.
But the mother was ineligible for Maine’s Medical Aid in Dying program because her illnesses, while difficult and debilatating, were not terminal.
So, Blake said, she and her mother discussed other options, including pills, but the determined they didn’t have enough of those to kill her.
