A West Virginia woman allegedly left her legally blind, 'incapacitated' husband stranded on the toilet for more than 19 hours while she slept, resulting in his death.
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she → leave → death
Margaret Louise Rog, 75, of Morgantown, is accused of leaving her unidentified 76-year-old husband in the bathroom for hours as he 'groaned in pain,' unable to move before eventually passing out, according to WCHS News.
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he → accuse → News
He was hospitalized on August 21 after the disturbing discovery and died more than a week later, with hospital staff determining that he appeared to have suffered abuse or neglect.
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he → hospitalize → abuse
Doctors found a litany of serious conditions, including rhabdomyolysis, sepsis, hypernatremia, altered mental status, dyspnea, wounds to his buttocks, heart failure, respiratory failure and a pulmonary embolism.
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Doctors → find → buttocks
Court documents obtained by the outlet revealed that Rog knew her husband was trapped in the bathroom but left him without food, water or his prescribed medications for 19 hours.
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husband → obtain → hours
In interviews with police, she allegedly admitted knowing that he needed help but chose not to intervene, instead going to bed and leaving him 'unattended and unresponsive.'
Rog was arrested and charged Tuesday with abuse or neglect of an incapacitated adult, where she has since posted her $75,000 bond, according to the outlet.
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she → admit → outlet
The unsettling case began at around 3pm August 20th, when Rog's husband, went to the bathroom at their shared home, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WCHS and The Independent.
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husband → begin → WCHS
Margaret Louise Rog, 75, of West Virginia, allegedly left her legally blind, 'incapacitated' husband stranded on the toilet for more than 19 hours while she slept, resulting in his death
Doctors found a litany of serious conditions, including rhabdomyolysis, sepsis , hypernatremia, altered mental status, dyspnea, wounds to his buttocks, heart failure, respiratory failure and a pulmonary embolism
MSR, as her husband is identified in court documents, had dementia, Alzheimer's and legal blindness, along with a host of physical and medical conditions that left him legally classified as an incapacitated adult.
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that → leave → adult
According to the filing, he relied on Rog for his care and could not 'live his life sustainably and with reasonable health' without her assistance.
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he → accord → assistance
At some point after going into the bathroom, MSR was unable to stand, and Rog later told police that she also could not get him back on his feet.
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she → go → feet
Instead, she left him stuck until the following morning, when a speech therapist arrived for an in-home visit around 10am and called 911 after finding him in dangerously poor condition.
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therapist → leave → condition
An ambulance rushed the elderly man to the hospital, where doctors found him in dire condition and battling a slew of serious illnesses, which prosecutors said posed a 'risk of death.'
He died 10 days later, with investigators saying the injuries and deteriorating condition he suffered after being abandoned on the toilet were 'significant contributing factors.'
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he → rush → toilet
Police were notified of his death on August 31 and launched an investigation, which found that Rog allegedly left her husband helpless for 19 hours as he struggled to free himself and 'groaned' in agony, according to the complaint.
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he → notify → complaint
Prosecutors said Rog recognized that her husband 'needed assistance' but allegedly chose not to call anyone for help, The Independent reported.
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Independent → say → help
MSR, as her husband is identified in court documents, had dementia, Alzheimer's and legal blindness, along with a host of physical and medical conditions that left him legally classified as an incapacitated adult
Rog was arrested and charged Tuesday with abuse or neglect of an incapacitated adult, where she has since posted her $75,000 bond
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she → identify → bond
The complaint said she made several statements and admissions during interviews with police, adult protective services and family members that prosecutors said were also incriminating.
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prosecutors → say → police
Among them was an alleged admission that she knew her husband needed medical assistance but 'deliberately decided against providing any.'
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husband → know → any
Rog was booked into North Central Regional Jail, where she pleaded not guilty and was later released on bond.
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she → book → bond
She is due to appear before a judge for her first court hearing on September 25.
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She → appear → September