Woman found guilty of abuse, manslaughter of elderly, nonverbal mother with dementia

by Megan Brugger

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah (KUTV) — A jury found a woman guilty of abuse and manslaughter of her elderly mother, who had dementia.

Lori Meers, 53, of Cottonwood Heights, was charged in September 2025 with aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult, a second-degree felony, and manslaughter, a second-degree felony.

She was found guilty on Monday.

In March 2025, officers responded to Intermountain Medical Center to investigate a report of elder abuse.

The victim — a 77-year-old nonverbal woman with dementia — had allegedly been left on the floor, covered in feces.

Doctors determined the feces were a few days old. They said she was in "poor medical physical shape and had obvious bodily damage."

"[She] was so cold; she was hypothermic, and it took doctors hours to warm her up," the affidavit states. She also had bed sores and severe sepsis with septic shock.

The victim's twin sister told officers that the woman had been in the care of her niece, Lori Meers, for a "long time."

The sister said she wanted to find a permanent care facility for her, but claimed Meers "was dragging her feet and not following through with it."

A few weeks before the incident, Meers allegedly called the elder abuse hotline on herself, "because she was tired and not able to take care of [her mother] like she wanted to."

The twin sister went to visit three weeks later — on March 10 — and found the woman on the floor, ice-cold to the touch.

She told detectives that when she saw her sister three and a half weeks before this, she could talk and was "moving around and in good spirits."

The woman died on March 19, 2025. Her autopsy revealed significant trauma, and Meers was arrested.

According to the probable cause statement, Meers allegedly said, "Me allowing my mom to play in her own crap, is neglect. I don't care. Yeah, there might be reasoning behind it. There might be, you know, to me, justify not, maybe not justifiable, but, but there was reasoning behind it."

Utah is a mandatory reporter state, meaning any person who has reason to believe that a vulnerable adult is being abused, neglected, or exploited must immediately notify Adult Protective Services or the nearest law enforcement office.

You can also report suspected abuse directly to Utah's hotline at 800-371-7897, or online at https://daas.utah.gov/adult-protective-services/. 

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Woman found guilty of abuse, manslaughter of elderly, nonverbal mother with dementia

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Cottonwood Heights woman charged with neglecting elderly mother, contributing to her death

Cottonwood Heights woman charged with neglecting elderly mother, contributing to her death

By Pat Reavy 

COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — A Cottonwood Heights woman was charged Tuesday with not properly caring for her elderly mother, which investigators say may have contributed to her death.

Lori Meers, 53, is charged in 3rd District Court with manslaughter and aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult, second-degree felonies.

In March, a woman went to visit her 77-year-old twin sister, who prosecutors say "was nonverbal and had dementia" and "found W.P. on the floor covered in feces," according to charging documents. Some of the feces was determined to be a few days old, police said. The woman is only identified in court documents as W.P.

W.P. was found lying on a basement floor and was "ice cold" when her sister found her, according to the charges.

"(The sister) asked Meers what was going on, and Meers said that W.P. had not eaten in four days. (The sister) asked Meers if she had called anyone, and Meers said 'no,'" the charges say.

The sister then called 911, and paramedics responded.

"(The sister) stated that every time the paramedics moved W.P. she cried out in pain. (She) stated that when she saw W.P. three-and-a-half weeks before this, she could talk, and (three months earlier) W.P. was still moving around and in good spirits," charging documents state.

Doctors determined W.P. was in "poor medical physical shape," the charges allege. She was diagnosed with "severe sepsis with septic shock, skin sores, pancreatitis (and) transaminitis" in addition to other injuries to her hips and legs.

She died nine days later.

An autopsy "revealed W.P. had significant trauma. The pancreas was acutely inflamed and infected, which was the most likely cause of the infection causing septic shock. W.P. had multiple decubitus ulcers (pressure sores) on her chest, back, and lower extremities. (The medical examiner) noted that malnutrition and decubitus ulcers can increase the risk of developing infections and septic shock," the charges state.

The manner of death was determined to be natural, "and the immediate cause of death to be septic shock due to acute pancreatitis."

Meers was W.P.'s primary caretaker, according to investigators.

The sister "wanted to find W.P. a permanent care facility but Meers was dragging her feet and not following through with it. (The sister) stated that a few weeks prior, Meers had told (her) that she had called the elder abuse hotline on herself because she was tired and not able to take care of W.P.," according to the charges.

Another family member told police "that while Meers was his grandmother's primary caretaker, Meers would often stay at a neighbor's house, leaving his grandmother alone."

The family member also said Meers was "struggling with her own health conditions, which affected her ability to care for his grandmother," according to the charges. (The grandson) expressed his belief that his grandmother was neglected, particularly in terms of physical care, and Meers would often leave food on the ground for his grandmother when she couldn't lift her back onto the bed."

When questioned by police, Meers allegedly told them, "This is nerve wracking because I'm not stupid. I know exactly what you guys think or were told. And I don't blame the hospital for wanting an investigation to be done either because they saw the condition of my mom and it's sickening, and it's very sad and embarrassing."

Meers said she never called the elder abuse agency.

"I'm not saying that there was never abuse, there was, not abuse. Wrong word, neglect, me allowing my mom to play in her own crap, is neglect. I don't care. Yeah, there might be reasoning behind it. There might be, you know, to me, justify not, maybe not justifiable, but, but there was reasoning behind it," she said, according to the charges.

Cottonwood Heights police say when they arrived at the residence they "noted a foul odor of old urine and feces mixed with food and filth," the charges state. "Each step leading upstairs was carpeted and covered in a thick film of dirt, grime, and what appeared to be feces. The upstairs bathroom had dirty toilet water, and the shower had grime on the walls, tub and curtain."

"We have a legal, ethical, and moral responsibility to take care of and support our vulnerable adult elders. When someone is criminally negligent, abuses or causes harm to them, we will hold them accountable for such abuse," Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said Tuesday. "If you are struggling to care for an elderly person in your life, we ask that you reach out for help, and if others offer it to you, please accept it."

Gill reminded residents that Utah is a "mandatory reporter state."

"This means that any person who has reason to believe that a vulnerable adult is being abused, neglected, or exploited must immediately notify Adult Protective Services or the nearest law enforcement office."

Suspected abuse or neglect of senior citizens or adults with disabilities can be reported 24-7 at daas.utah.gov/adult-protective-services/. 

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Cottonwood Heights woman charged with neglecting elderly mother, contributing to her death