Massachusetts caregiver admits to causing father's death
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts caregiver faces six months in jail after she admitted to causing the death of her father in 2016.
Tammy Zdon, 50, pleaded guilty in court Monday to manslaughter and permitting abuse on an elderly or disabled person, The Berkshire Eagle reported.
According to Assistant District Attorney Andrew Giarolo, Zdon was the caregiver of her 72-year-old father, John, who needed 24-hour care. He was adamant about not wanting to be in a nursing home.
A family member found him unresponsive and malnourished in his home, Giarolo said. He was taken to the hospital where he died, the newspaper said.
Giarolo said Zdon's fiance might have dropped the man before his death. Defense attorney Jill Sheldon said Zdon denied the allegation. She said she heard her father fall the night before his death.
“She admitted that she was in fact the caretaker, that she knew that his health was declining, but that she was afraid to take them to doctors, because she was afraid that he would be put into a nursing home,” Giarolo said.
Zdon was ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation before her sentencing in the fall.