In California, authorities have charged a woman with murder following the discovery of a 59-year-old man with cerebral palsy’s body, whom she was reportedly responsible for caring for.
KCRA reported that Richard McClintic’s family had grown concerned after being unable to contact him for over a month. They found it suspicious when they started receiving atypical messages from his Facebook account. Christina Cowens, the caregiver, did not allow them access to McClintic’s apartment.
In response, the family requested a welfare check by police on October 25. Initially, authorities did not find McClintic at the residence. However, when they returned two weeks later with a search warrant, they discovered his body.
Charged with murder, 41-year-old Cowens is also facing allegations of making false statements to an officer, unlawful disposal of a body, grand theft, and attempting to conceal a death.
Her attorney asked for a case continuation on Monday, and Cowens is scheduled to appear in court again on November 24.
“It is beyond belief that someone could do this to a person in my uncle’s condition,” expressed Ryan Klagenberg, McClintic’s nephew.
Klagenberg said that Cowens had been his uncle’s caretaker for years, KOVR reported, but in July, he posted on Facebook that he was seeking a new caretaker.
It was around that time that Cowens was arraigned on embezzlement charges, KCRA reported, but it’s not clear if that case had anything to do with McClintic.
