A 75-year-old West Virginia woman has been arrested and charged with abuse or neglect of an incapacitated adult in connection with the death of her 76-year-old husband.
Margaret Rog was taken into custody on Tuesday and is accused of leaving her frail and ailing husband on the toilet for 19 hours, an act that investigators say contributed to his death. Her husband, who suffered from dementia, Alzheimer's, and legal blindness, had gone to the bathroom at around 3 p.m. on August 20, but was unable to get off the toilet without assistance.
Instead of seeking help, Rog allegedly left her husband unattended and unresponsive for 19 hours without food, water, or his prescribed medications. Deputies claim that she watched her husband groan in pain but did not call anyone for help, and later went to bed as her ailing husband remained stuck on the toilet.
A speech therapist arrived for an in-home visit the following day and found the man unresponsive and in a dangerously poor condition. The therapist called an ambulance, and the man was rushed to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with several serious health conditions, including heart failure, respiratory failure, and sepsis. He died in the hospital on August 31.
Rog allegedly made statements to investigators, adult protection services, and family members that were described as self-incriminating. She pleaded not guilty in court on Tuesday and posted a $75,000 bond.
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