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SPRING HILL, Fla. - A Spring Hill man has been arrested after deputies said they found his mother with multiple open sores, covered in her own feces and urine, and infested with maggots.
The backstory:
According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, Jason Thomas Russell, 47, called 9-1-1 on Thursday after his mother, 79, became unresponsive in the Spring Hill home they share on Boyce Street.
When Hernando County Fire Rescue arrived on the scene, they reported that Russell had his mother sitting in a wheelchair in the driveway.
First responders added that Russell refused to let medical personnel into the home to check what medications his mother was taking.
Russell's mother was taken to an area hospital, where doctors said she was malnourished, septic from multiple sources of infection, had pneumonia in her right lung, a urinary tract infection, and had areas of her skin that were rotting from infection.
Dig deeper:
When deputies arrived on scene, Russell's home was declared a crime scene.
Russell was arrested for resisting an officer without violence after he knowingly entered an active crime scene after being instructed by deputies to remain outside.
Courtesy: Hernando County Sheriff's Office
When deputies entered the home, they reported finding two heavily soiled couches covered in ants and flies. Deputies also noted a strong odor of ammonia.
Soiled women's clothing was also found in the living room along with a bedside commode, according to HCSO.
Investigators said Russell claimed to bathe his mother by dipping her in the pool or wiping her with a cloth.
He has been charged with neglect of an elderly person causing great bodily harm and resisting an officer without violence.
What's next:
On Saturday, investigators learned that Russell's mother had died.
Detectives assigned to the investigation will be working closely with the Medical Examiner and the State Attorney's Office, to discuss the possibility of an upgraded offense if warranted.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.