Plea deal reached in death of elderly Bondurant care facility resident

by: Kelly Maricle

POLK COUNTY, Iowa – A former worker at a Bondurant elderly care facility has taken a plea deal regarding a woman’s death at the facility.

Catherine Forkpa was initially charged with dependant adult abuse-intentional/reckless abuse in the death of 77-year-old Harriet Stewart on January 21, 2022. Stewart died after being found outside the facility in below-freezing temperatures.

The charge against Forkpa was upgraded to second-degree murder in trial information filed in April of 2022.

On Friday, Forkpa pled guilty to dependant adult abuse which carries a penalty of up to two years in prison. In the plea documents, Forkpa admitted she didn’t do hourly checks on Stewart.

The deal made with prosecutors would give Forkpa a deferred judgment and two years of supervised probation. The civil penalty would also be suspended in the case.

Sentencing is set for November 7th. The judge in the case is not required to stick to the plea deal and could impose a sentence up to the maximum allowed by law.

Full Article & Source:
Plea deal reached in death of elderly Bondurant care facility resident