A Georgia woman has been arrested for allegedly neglecting her elderly and disabled mother so severely that the 82-year-old was discovered stuck to her own bed due to untreated bedsores.
Tyrossale Peak, 54, is charged with neglect of a disabled adult after police discovered her mother, Lillie Sapp, during a welfare check, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, which lists her as booked on December 30.
According to local ABC affiliate WJBF and The Augusta Press, Sapp was supposed to be in hospice care but was removed in June for unexplained reasons.
On Dec. 30, deputies responded to Peak’s home in the 2900 block of Rollingwood Drive in Augusta, where her mother was staying, to conduct a welfare check on her following a tip from someone.
According to the sheriff’s office, they arrived to find Sapp in bed with her skin stuck to the mattress, a strong odor of bodily fluid, and roaches everywhere.
The 82-year-old was reported to be incoherent as police worked to remove her body and get her medical attention.
EMS personnel and even firefighters were called in to assist with her removal, which required cutting a portion of the mattress.
Sapp was taken to Wellstar MCG Health, where she was listed in stable condition. Peak spent the weekend in jail without a bond.
According to her arrest report, obtained by Law&Crime, Peak stated during interviews with police and EMS that Sapp had “lost a bit of weight but she was fine.” She claimed that her mother had last seen a medical professional in June, when she was removed from hospice.
“Peak stated to EMS that she feeds Sapp every morning and makes sure that she drinks two to three Ensures a day,” the arrest report says, citing a responding officer.
“I walked into the kitchen area and found the kitchen to be infested with roaches,” the law enforcement officer claimed. “The sink was overflowing with dirty dishes all over.”
According to authorities, Peak discontinued her mother’s hospice care and failed to provide adequate treatment for herself, resulting in the alleged elder abuse. It’s unclear why her mother was in hospice.
If convicted of felony neglect, Peak faces up to 20 years in prison.
