FT. PIERCE, Fla. (WFLA) — Authorities charged a caregiver in Florida after they discovered an elderly woman suffering from severe neglect during a welfare check, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
On July 18, deputies visited the woman’s home to conduct a welfare check and found her living in “extremely hazardous and unsanitary conditions.”
The woman was only around 90 pounds and had insects crawling in her hair and on her body, deputies said.
While the caregiver looked clean and well-nourished, the elderly woman was found to have “visible feces on her body and showed signs of not having bathed for a long time,” as reported by SLCSO.
The house itself was in a decrepit condition, lacking running water and with the roof and interior walls collapsing. It was also infested with insects and cats.
The caregiver, 56-year-old Melanie Hess, was charged with neglect of an elderly, disabled adult and taken to the St. Lucie County Jail.
The elderly victim was transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation.
