Did Fear of Assisted Living Drive a Mother to Murder?

Some people will allegedly do anything to avoid ending up in a nursing home or similar long-term care facility. Fear of nursing home abuse is a common reason.

It’s unknown whether that fear may have been a factor in the case of a 92-year-old woman charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping in the shooting death of her 72-year-old son.

According to authorities, the woman allegedly confessed to concealing two handguns in her bathrobe and confronting her son about how she was being treated and about his alleged plans to place her in an assisted-living facility. She had reportedly been living with her son and his girlfriend for about six months at the time of the son’s death.

Now, the mother will need a skilled criminal defense attorney if she is to defend such serious criminal charges. Violent crimes like murder have the potential to bring serious punishment to the accused upon conviction. A skilled attorney will examine the evidence and the manner in which it was procured and may be able to do several things including get evidence dismissed, offer evidence of mitigating circumstances, negotiate a plea arrangement with a lesser sentence, and more.

While assisted-living might not be a first choice for elder care, it would generally beat living in prison. However, victims of nursing home abuse and neglect might feel differently, though.

When seniors are neglected or abused in nursing homes and similar facilities, the abuse can be physical, emotional, or financial in nature. If the victim or their family can prove that the victim was abused by the actions or inactions of the facility and its staff, the victims may be entitled to compensation for their physical and psychological injuries.

If you or a loved one are victims of nursing home abuse and neglect, or if you have been charged with a crime, the skilled personal injury and criminal defense attorneys at Noland Law Firm can help you. Contact us today for a free consultation.

From our offices in Liberty, Missouri, we represent clients throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area and Western Missouri, including Clay County, Liberty, Blue Springs, Independence, and Gladstone.