A Hazel Dell couple are going through prices of manslaughter and legal mistreatment for the 2022 demise of an 87-year-old relative who was underneath their care.
Kathryn M. Rogers, 61, and Joel C. Rogers, 60, appeared Thursday in Clark County Superior Courtroom on a summons for second-degree manslaughter and first-degree legal mistreatment.
Decide Christine Hayes ordered they be positioned on supervised launch, citing the actual fact the allegations are two years previous, the couple haven’t any legal historical past and so they obeyed the summons. They’re scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 25.
In April 2022, state Grownup Protecting Providers referred a report back to Clark County sheriff’s detectives concerning the March 18 demise of Marilyn Rogers at a Longview hospice facility. The girl had lived with Joel and Kathryn Rogers, her son and daughter-in-law, at their house earlier than her demise, in keeping with a possible trigger affidavit.
Kinfolk known as 911 on March 8, 2022, saying Marilyn Rogers appeared unwell, court docket data state.
When AMR arrived, Marilyn Rogers was seated in a chair and confirmed indicators of discomfort. Kathryn Rogers advised responders her mother-in-law was nonverbal and suffered from Alzheimer’s illness and dementia. Responders additionally famous her arm was completely contracted, court docket data state.
Emergency room staffers famous Marilyn Rogers had a number of ulcers and stress wounds that seemed to be contaminated. She additionally confirmed indicators of dehydration and malnourishment. Blood work confirmed she additionally suffered from sepsis as a consequence of an infection. Medical doctors famous the situation of her muscle tissue indicated she’d doubtless been motionless for fairly a while, in keeping with the affidavit.
A detective described within the affidavit images emergency room employees took of Marilyn Rogers’ mattress sores as “very graphic” and “hard for me to look at.”
“Based on my training and experience I knew bedsores were common and treatable,” the detective wrote within the affidavit. “I knew they resulted from someone remaining in the same position for an extended period of time and were made worse by continued pressure on the area where the sore had formed.”
Hospital employees reported that Kathryn Rogers advised them she had not given Marilyn Rogers any ache treatment, in keeping with court docket data.
Medical doctors really helpful Marilyn Rogers be positioned in hospice, and as soon as she was, employees mentioned Kathryn and Joel Rogers by no means visited her. Hospice employees mentioned they struggled to get in contact with the couple for the roughly 10 days Marilyn Rogers resided there, the affidavit states.
A physician from the Vancouver Clinic and Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Middle reviewed Marilyn Rogers’ medical data, and he concluded she suffered from neglect.
Detectives realized her final documented medical appointment was in 2017. Deputies carried out a welfare examine on the household’s house in 2016, and notes from that go to confirmed Marilyn Rogers was alert and cellular at the moment, however she was displaying some indicators of cognitive decline, in keeping with court docket data.
In interviews with Grownup Protecting Providers, Kathryn Rogers mentioned the March 8, 2022, hospital go to was the primary time she’d introduced her mother-in-law in for remedy for her wounds. She mentioned she labored two jobs outdoors of the house, which left the girl with nobody to look after her through the day. She additionally mentioned Joel Rogers wouldn’t assist together with his mom’s care or name for providers, regardless of being his mom’s energy of lawyer, the affidavit states.
In an interview with detectives, Joel Rogers mentioned Kathryn Rogers was accountable for his mom’s care. Detectives mentioned he minimized his mom’s accidents. They mentioned he blamed his “lack of smarts,” his lack of ability to drive and Kathryn Rogers for his mom’s alleged insufficient care, in keeping with court docket data.
Investigators decided Kathryn and Joel Rogers didn’t receive medical remedy for Marilyn Rogers’ wounds, which contributed to her demise, in keeping with court docket data.