Mother, father and caregiver charged after Pennsylvania 21-year-old with cerebral palsy dies of starvation

By Joe Brandt, Adam Fox, Tom Gardiner, Josh Sanders

Three people, a mother, a father and a caretaker, are charged after a 21-year-old blind and deaf man with cerebral palsy starved to death in a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, apartment, District Attorney Kevin Steele and Upper Dublin Township Police Chief Francis Wheatley announced Tuesday.

The charges come after months of investigation into the September 2024 death of Tylim Hatchett, a wheelchair-bound resident of the Dresher section of Upper Dublin Township. 

He was found dead on the floor of a unit in The Promenade apartments on Route 63, weighing just 59 pounds. A medical examiner ruled his cause of death to be complications of cerebral palsy and starvation — a homicide. 

"He's blind, he's deaf, he can only be in a wheelchair," Steel said. "He needs medication that is not being provided for him." 

Hatchett's mother Sherrilynn Hawkins, father Vernon Hatchett and caregiver Loretta Harris are all charged with neglect of a care-dependent person, Steele said in a news conference. Hawkins faces the most serious charges of first-degree and third-degree murder; Hatchett is also charged with involuntary manslaughter and Harris faces a charge of theft by deception. 

Sherrilynn Hawkins, Vernon Hatchett and Loretta Harris are charged with neglecting 21-year-old Tylim Hatchett, who had cerebral palsy and required the care of others. Montgomery County District Attorney's Office

Hawkins and Harris were both receiving benefit money to care for Tylim, who went without food and water for long periods of time, Steele said. 

"There was no feeding. There was no water," Steele said. "He starved to death in this apartment and was lying on the floor when the police came. This is a horrible death." 

The DA alleged during the last 18 days of Tylim Hatchett's life, he was left alone for 356 out of 425 hours — while Hawkins received over $2,000 and Harris $3,000 from a company called Aveanna Health Care. 

Detectives tracked Hawkins' cell phone's location, her vehicle's appearance on license plate readers around the region, swipe access records into the Promenade building and other data to determine when Tylim was and was not attended to, an affidavit of probable cause shows.

Investigators "put a lot of hours and a lot of time into this to make these determinations to show where these individuals were, that they were not with Tylim, which [is where] they were getting paid to be," Steele said.

Steele said the adults neglected a duty to care for a person who needed it. The 21-year-old had lost over 30 pounds since he was weighed in February at Abington Hospital, where he was listed at 90 pounds. 

"This is an individual who couldn't care for himself and was totally dependent upon care. He's a care-dependent person and they starved him to death. They just didn't provide for him during this period of time," Steele said. 

The charges come after months of investigations into Tylim's death back in September after his parents called 911. Residents were shocked at the news. 

"It's horrendous how parents, parents did that with the kid," said Aida Sokhieva, a resident. "I have no words. None of the kids deserve that, none of the humans deserve that." 

"They're taking money that they're not doing the work for," he added. "These were intentional omissions that she was making through this period of time. She had a duty as a parent, she had a duty as a contracted employee, she was receiving benefits for this, and she let him die." 

Hawkins and Harris are in custody. Hatchett has not been apprehended. Police are searching for him so he can face an arraignment regarding the charges.

On Friday, the U.S. Marshals Service of Philadelphia announced they will join the search for Hatchett. Anyone with information related to his whereabouts is asked to call in a tip at 1-866-865-TIPS(8477).

Hawkins is being held without bail.

A spokesperson for Aveanna Health Care released a statement later Tuesday: "Aveanna has well-established policies in place to ensure that authorized care is provided, with a robust compliance program that satisfies the prescribed oversight as defined by state regulators. We use technology and other means to validate the delivery of that care, and our supervisory measures meet the requirements defined by state regulators. The Company has and continues to cooperate with all investigations into this matter."

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Mother, father and caregiver charged after Pennsylvania 21-year-old with cerebral palsy dies of starvation

Police: Reckless care led to death of West Des Moines man; 2 charged with his murder

by Chad Thompson

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Police say it was reckless care that led to the death of a West Des Moines man, and they have now charged the man's son and his partner with murder.

Jacob Schaper, 24, and Jocelyn Grisham, 23, both of West Des Moines, are charged with second-degree murder in the death of 58-year-old Steven Schaper.

Steven Schaper had a medical emergency on Aug. 10. When first responders arrived at 228 First St., they found Schaper laying in what they call "deplorable conditions." Police say he had also suffered severe bedsores.

Schaper was transported by EMS to a local hospital, where he later died.

Police say evidence suggests that Steven Schaper’s son and his girlfriend intentionally or recklessly denied him adequate medical care and proper living conditions, which resulted in his death.

On Tuesday, Jacob Schaper and Grisham were arrested and transported to the Polk County Jail.

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Police: Reckless care led to death of West Des Moines man; 2 charged with his murder

All of Fotis Dulos’ properties now in foreclosure

By Lisa Backus

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Photo: Nathan Spotts / Contributed Photo 

 

The attorney representing Jennifer Dulos’ mother expects to soon receive the title to the home at 4 Jefferson Crossing in Farmington.

FARMINGTON — The one-time property empire owned by Fotis Dulos and his high-end real estate company is being dismantled by foreclosure proceedings as his estate makes its way through probate court.

Fotis Dulos died Jan. 30 from an apparent suicide while facing murder and other charges in connection with his estranged wife’s death and disappearance. Jennifer Dulos was last seen on May 24, 2019 and has been presumed dead based on blood evidence found in the garage of her New Canaan home, according to arrest warrants.

Attorney Richard Weinstein, representing Jennifer Dulos’ mother, expects to have the title to the 14,000-square-foot Jefferson Crossing property in Farmington by late July.

Jennifer and Fotis Dulos lived in the home until June 2017 when she left with their five children for New Canaan and filed for divorce.

Fotis Dulos remained in the home with his former girlfriend, Michelle Troconis, and her daughter. At the time of his death, Fotis Dulos had not made mortgage payments for about a year, Weinstein said.

Weinstein said he will put the house up for sale once he receives the title. He expects a judge to grant him the title as soon as this week, but there will then be a 20-day appeal period.

Gloria Farber moved to foreclose on the house last year as Fotis Dulos was the prime suspect in the death and disappearance of her daughter.

Five other properties owned by Fotis Dulos are also in foreclosure proceedings, court records show.

A Superior Court judge recently awarded Farber nearly $2 million in two lawsuits she filed against Fotis Dulos on claims he failed to repay her family business loans made to him while he was married to her daughter.

Attorney Kent Mawhinney, who at one point represented Fotis Dulos in the lawsuits, and Troconis have each been charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the Jennifer Dulos case. Troconis also faces tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution charges.

The estate of Fotis Dulos is now in probate court as Farber raises the couple’s five children. The items owned by the Dulos children that were still in the Jefferson Crossing house were retrieved last week, Weinstein said.

Troconis had also filed paperwork with the probate court in Farmington to retrieve her personal property from the home.

Hartford Superior Court Judge Cesar Noble agreed Thursday to allow Farber to receive $25,000 from the estate in legal fees for bringing forward one of the lawsuits, which claimed Fotis Dulos stopped paying a $500,000 loan that was used to help build the Jefferson Crossing house.

People’s Bank has started foreclosure proceedings on three other Farmington properties owned by the Fore Group at 80, 84 and 88 Mountain Spring Road, court records show. Harry Masiello, a longtime friend of Fotis Dulos who loaned him $600,000 in 2017, is now foreclosing on an Avon property at 585 Deercliff Road, which is just a few hundred feet from the Jefferson Crossing home.

The Savings Bank of Danbury started foreclosure proceedings in late 2019 on a Sturbridge Hill Road home in New Canaan that Fore Group had developed and planned to sell.

Farber and Masiello are named as defendants in several of the foreclosures since they have liens on the properties. The properties at 80, 84 and 88 Mountain Spring also have a $6 million lien placed by a bail bond agent who signed off on the $6 million bond that released Fotis Dulos from prison in January when he was charged with murder.

The probate court is still working on “sensitive issues” as the estate is finalized, Weinstein said. All money remaining from the probate process will go to the children who have been in Farber’s care since their mother disappeared, Weinstein said.

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All of Fotis Dulos’ properties now in foreclosure

AG's office warning of adult abuse after Flint woman found dead weighing 62 pounds

by Blake Keller, AnnMarie Kent

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Friday morning Lori Rosebush and Robert Stilwill were charged with first-degree murder and vulnerable adult abuse after Rosebush’s sister Bonnie Fisher was found dead and neglected.

Fisher was found weighing only 62 pounds on June 12.

“She was in very, very terrible condition, she was skin and bones literally,” Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said.

Rosebush has also been charged with embezzlement. Leyton says she was receiving money from the state to care for Fisher.

“I believe these people were overwhelmed,” Leyton said. “They didn’t know how to care for this person, they should’ve reached out for help, they certainly shouldn’t have been taking the state’s money to care for her.”

Scott Teter with the Elder Abuse Task Force from the Michigan Attorney General's Office that vulnerable adult abuse almost always involves money.

“What I tell them is when you come on scene and you see signs of abuse or neglect, there will be financial exploitation,” Teter said. “I’ve never seen it fail”

The task force handles more than 73,000 cases of vulnerable adult abuse a year. After light came to this case in Genesee County, they’re sharing warning signs.

“The bottom line is, nobody has direct contact with the older adult because that’s how they control not only the adult but also the ability to perpetuate the secret,” Teter said.

Both Rosebush and Stilwill have entered a not guilty plea in court. No bond was issued for either individual.

Teter believes more needs to be done in Michigan to address this issue.

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AG's office warning of adult abuse after Flint woman found dead weighing 62 pounds 

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Two people charged with murder after Flint woman found dead, weighing 62 pounds

Two people charged with murder after Flint woman found dead, weighing 62 pounds

by Jonathan Jackson, AnnMarie Kent

A woman and a man have been charged with murder after the woman’s sister was found dead, with broken bones and weighing just over 60 pounds.

Flint Police were called to Bloor Avenue in Flint just after 1 a.m. on June 12.

A woman in her late 60s was found dead inside a home. She had fractured bones, had been neglected, had been in the same position for months and weighed 62 pounds. Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said.

She was being cared for by her sister and a man her sister had asked for help.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said the sister was getting money from the state to care for the woman.

The woman has been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree vulnerable adult abuse and embezzlement from a vulnerable adult.

The man was charged with first degree murder and first-degree elder abuse.

Leyton believes the two got overwhelmed and didn’t know how to care for Fisher.

He says if you need help taking care of senior citizens, to reach out to the Genesee County Office of Senior Services (810) 424-4478.

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Two people charged with murder after Flint woman found dead, weighing 62 pounds