Posted on 03/06/2008 5:53:30 PM PST by metmom
SARASOTA, Fla. — A woman was charged with leaving her mother to die languishing on the floor for two weeks after she suffered a debilitating fall.
Helen Frizzell, 94, died hours after she was found by authorities in November. According to police, her 65-year-old daughter brought her food, cleaned her and used bug spray to keep away swarming insects.
Carole Mae Frizzell told police she could not lift her mother, who insisted that she not call 911.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Actually, she didn’t *leave her to die*. She did take care of her. My guess is a hip fracture, which would likely have been fatal at that age anyway.
Still, call 911, no matter what mom says. What’s she going to do at this point?
Like something out of a Stephen King story.
I’ll probably get slammed for this, but I think there might have been an overprotective mother and a dependency relationship here, although she did go out and try to pay cash for a car. This is strange.
Believe it or not, I know an elderly couple who had a similar situation. The husband collapsed onto the sidewalk just outside their home. The wife was too slight to lift him, and he insisted she not call 911. He was on the ground for over an hour, she was afraid to call 911 because of his insistence. Luckily a neighbor saw what was happening and intervened.
For the daughter to “obey” her mother, must have been a manifestation of a strange relationship or maybe a little senility on both their parts.
Mayhap the Mom didn't want to end up dehydrated and starved...?
No cheers, unfortunately.
They are, uhm, both crazy.
No sheet Sherlock, let’s not forget Florida is a death stae. At least daughter did feed and hydrate her.
The Good Daughter. . .
You have a point. Terri Shiavo memories can cause what appear to be, lapses in good/sane/moral judgment.
Florida's authorities cannot be trusted.
The daugher was a senior citizen herself. I’m betting she wasn’t and isn’t “all there.”
You’re right!!! It’s Florida. She was afraid they’d send her to hospice.
I hadn’t thought of that.
The daughter could have had alzheimers.
That would explain living with Mom at 65.
I’m not so sure; if a person wishes to die at home that should be their right. When my Dad was dying, he really didn’t want doctors to intervene. In the end, it was probably my Mom’s inability to watch him dying that changed his mind. My grandfather, who is nearing the end of his journey, is adamant about wanting to die at home no matter what. I know him, love him, and know that it would be an absolute betrayal of his trust to take him out of his beloved house and property to die in a strange aseptic white room surrounded by strangers. If I were watching him in his last days, and he fell and told me he wanted to die there, what would I do? I think I’d respect his wishes. What business is it of the state’s?
Families sometimes get like this. I knew a family where the man was obviously senile, an advanced heart patient with reeking sores - wouldn’t renew his meds, get dressed, see the doctor, let his wife dress his wounds, etc.
I told her she absolutely had to get him to a hospital or doctor - she kept saying, in a very tiny voice, no, he’ll get mad at me. What can I do?
He needed his O2, wouldn’t use it. He was just not all there. I asked his daughter to intervene, she wouldn’t defy nutty dad either.
Several months later I stopped by, he had died. Both the wife and the daugher looked so much happier. I just had to shake my head.
Look, folks, there is a time to die. If I decide I don’t want anyone to mess with me at that time, don’t force me to do anything. The last damned place I want to die is in a hospital, too much like a prison.
Make sure you are considering the person who is dying, and not what makes you feel better.
Thinking about it, I can see the points of not wanting to end up in a hospital being mistreated. Or murdered.
I don’t see what they can charge the daughter with. She took care of her mom, probably better than any facility would have.
I think the old lady knew she was going to die from this. At 94 you have to realize that your number’s up soon and a fall like this would do that.
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