DADE CITY, Fla. — Pasco County deputies have arrested a caregiver after an 80-year-old victim was found lying in feces and urine in a Dade City residence.
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE QUITE DISTURBING.
Deputies responded to the residence in reference to a welfare check on December 26 around 1 p.m. When they arrived, they say they found the elderly victim lying in feces and urine.
Deputies say that the victim's blanket and mattress were soiled with feces, urine and blood from the victim's open wounds. The victim was found to have multiple bedsores. The residence was also found to be uninhabitable due to feces and other decaying matter within, as well as a deteriorating structure.
The victim was transported to a local hospital by fire rescue. The victim was found to have advanced stages of sepsis and necrotic wounds. According to PSCO, emergency room personnel were forced to clean dog and human waste out of the victim's hair and body which would have proved fatal without professional intervention.
During the continued investigation, deputies developed probable cause on the caregiver, Richard Meyers IV, 52, for neglect/abuse of the elderly.
The arrest affidavit says that the victim was bedridden, in pain and left unassisted by Meyers IV, who was aware of the victim's condition and refused the victim medical help because he did not want anyone to see the deplorable conditions in the home.
Deputies say that the victim had spent an unknown period of time bedridden, forced to throw his feces and urine in his bed and on the bedroom floor. The victim shared the bed with dogs that slept, urinated and defecated around him, according to the arrest affidavit.
Units from Animal Control, social services, and the building department responded from the county.
The arrest affidavit states that the floors were covered several inches deep in filthy trash as well as dog and human feces waste. The report also states that the home contained birds that had defecated on the floors and beds in the residence.
The building department condemned the residence and animal services removed eleven dogs.
Keith Hartwell has lived in Dade City 28 years and said he was shocked to learn about the arrest. He noticed the power company was at the home Wednesday morning and was told it was because the house where the 80-year-old was found was being condemned.
"I've never seen anything or heard anything. I come and go in my own house and mind my own business," Hartwell said. "Nobody should be treated like that. Nobody. There's always help out there and to do something like this...this is really shocking to me and whoever did it should be punished by law."
PSO Code Enforcement responded and issued 4 citations to Richard Myers IV for a total of $1,469 in code violations.
DCF was notified and Major Crimes 2 briefed. Meyers IV was arrested and transported to the Land O' Lakes Jail.
