DA charges 2 with elderly abuse after Sept. 7 incident

Two people were charged with abusing and isolating an elderly woman last week after they allegedly failed to assist her in getting out of bed and did not allow a home health care worker to visit the woman to check on her.

Clayton Andrew Walker and Marion Diane Walker were charged by the District Attorney’s Office on Dec. 12 with one count each of abuse of an older person, neglect of an older person and isolation of an older person following a Sept. 7 incident.

According to a criminal complaint in the matter, on or about that date the two suspects, who had allegedly voluntarily assumed responsibility for the 76-year-old woman involved in the case, “did willfully and unlawfully and unjustifiably inflict pain, injury or mental anguish on a person who is 60 years of age or older or a vulnerable person, by failing to assist her to go to the bathroom or use a bedpan.”

The complaint goes on to allege that Clayton and Marion further neglected the woman by allowing her to lay in her bed, which was soiled, weak, barely able to speak and in poor health as well.

Additionally, the charging document accuses the suspects of isolating the 76-year-old by preventing her from having contact with a home health care worker on the date in question.

“Said defendants, and each of them, did willfully, unlawful, maliciously and intentionally prevent a person who is 60 years of age or older or a vulnerable person, from having contact with another person by intentionally preventing said person from receiving visitors, mail or telephone calls, and/or by physically restraining said person to prevent said person from meeting with a visitor by not allowing All Valley Home Health Care worker into (the woman’s) room to check on her,” the criminal complaint states.

As of Thursday morning, court records showed neither Clayton nor Marion had retained private counsel in the case. An arraignment hearing on the charges has been set for both parties for March 4, 2014.