Inset: Jeremy Cook (Rockcastle County Detention Center). Background: The 200 block of Willow Tree Lane in Mount Vernon, Ky., where Jeremy Cook allegedly neglected and abused his mother (Google Maps).
The harrowing details were outlined in a criminal complaint obtained by WLEX, an NBC affiliate. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Rockcastle County responded to an urgent call from Cook on October 20th, after he reported his mother experiencing shortness of breath. Upon arrival at their Mount Vernon residence, EMS personnel were confronted with a scene of severe neglect.
The elderly woman was found confined to a reclining chair, reportedly having remained there for two months. Her condition was shocking; she was surrounded by heaps of trash, and the floor beneath her was in a state of decay, with rotting wood and holes. Most distressingly, maggots were seen crawling both on the chair and on her body, and she wore a diaper that was evidently soiled for several days.
After being transported to the hospital, medical staff discovered multiple wounds and dried insects covering the woman’s body. The complaint further suggests that these conditions were symptomatic of prolonged neglect, raising serious concerns about the care provided by her son, who was her designated caregiver.
EMS reported finding the woman “sitting in a reclining chair with maggots crawling on the chair and on her body,” according to WLEX. Cook, who serves as his mom’s caregiver, called them to the family’s home on Oct. 20 after the woman allegedly experienced shortness of breath.
Once at the hospital, medical workers found dried bugs all over the mother and multiple wounds. EMS said it appeared she “had been in the … reclining chair for two months,” according to the complaint.
Police reported speaking with Cook after his mom went to the hospital. He allegedly claimed he changes his mother’s diapers “three times a day and bathes her twice a week,” and that he started caring for the woman in August.
Police launched an investigation and Cook was eventually arrested on Oct. 31. A judge set his bond at $50,000 and he is now awaiting his next court date after being released.
