Inset: Tyrossale Peak (Richmond County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The 2900 block of Rollingwood Drive in Augusta, Georgia, where Tyrossale Peak lived with her mother (Google Maps).
A Georgia woman facing allegations of severely neglecting her elderly and disabled mother, resulting in the 82-year-old becoming adhered to her bed due to untreated bedsores, has been charged with felony murder after an initial arrest for neglect, as stated in court documents.
Tyrossale Peak, 54, appeared in Richmond County court on Tuesday following an indictment earlier this month on charges of felony murder and neglect involving a disabled adult, relating to the death of her mother, Lillie Sapp. Sapp was discovered adhered to her mattress during a welfare check in December 2024.
Authorities visited Peak’s residence on Dec. 30, 2024, located in the 2900 block of Rollingwood Drive in Augusta, to conduct a welfare check on Sapp after receiving a tip. Upon arrival, officers allegedly found Sapp in bed with her skin adhered to the mattress, amid a strong odor of bodily fluid and an infestation of roaches, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
When discovered, the elderly woman appeared incoherent, prompting officials to commence efforts to remove her and secure medical care. Emergency responders and firefighters assisted in her extraction, necessitating the removal of part of the mattress. Sapp was subsequently taken to Wellstar MCG Health and initially recorded as being in stable condition. The Augusta Press reported on Tuesday that Sapp succumbed three weeks later.
According to the indictment of Peak, which was accessed by the local source, Peak “willfully deprived” the victim of essential healthcare and shelter, endangering the health and well-being of Lillie Mae Sapp. The indictment claims that inadequate wound care and unhygienic bedding conditions, with sheets smeared in feces and infested with bugs, led to life-threatening infections in her lungs and bones, as reported by the Augusta Press.
Local ABC affiliate WJBF reported in January that Sapp was supposed to be in hospice care but was removed in June and placed in Peak’s home for unexplained reasons.
According to her arrest report, which was obtained by Law&Crime, Peak stated during interviews with police and EMS that Sapp had “lost a bit of weight but she was fine.” Peak claimed that the last time her mom saw a medical professional was in June, when she was removed from hospice.
“Peak stated to EMS that she feeds Sapp every morning and makes sure that she drinks two to three Ensures a day,” the arrest report says, citing a responding officer. “I walked into the kitchen area and found the kitchen to be infested with roaches,” the officer said. “The sink was overflowing with dirty dishes all over.”
Authorities say Peak personally discontinued her mother’s hospice care and failed to provide her own adequate forms of treatment, as well as fluids and proper nutrition, leading to the alleged elder abuse. It’s unclear why her mom was in hospice.
