Mother, son arrested, accused of elder neglect
A mother and son were arrested last week on charges of elder neglect with substantial bodily harm after an 86-year-old grandmother was found living in squalor, neglected so long that her legs had fused together, according to a police report.
Jacqueline Burt, 64, and her son, Alex Burt, 45, were arrested Thursday after Rosemary Burt, Jacqueline Burt’s mother, was found lying on a soiled bed in a home at 4236 Newcastle Road, near Flamingo Road and Rainbow Boulevard.
“She was found covered in feces and urine,” said Jose Montoya, a Las Vegas police spokesman.
Also, bugs were on the bed, the report said.
Police had gone to the home to perform a welfare check on the older woman.
“I guess she hadn’t been seen in a while,” Montoya said.
Rosemary Burt was taken to a hospital for treatment. Her current condition was unavailable on Monday.
Jacqueline Burt told police that her mother had taken to bed about 14 months ago and had not been out of bed since, according to the report. She said she turned her mother over on the bed about once a week and was unaware of the severity of her mother’s injuries.
Both Jacqueline Burt and Alex Burt also lived at the residence.
Alex Burt told police he had not sought medical attention for his grandmother because he was afraid that his mother would go to jail and that his grandmother would be taken away, the report said.
Doctors who examined Rosemary Burt said that her legs were fused together at both the lower calf and the thigh and that she had several pressure sores on her body. Doctors said the woman’s legs might have to be corrected surgically.
The younger Burts were incarcerated in the Clark County Detention Center each on $100,000 bail.
Contact reporter Lynnette Curtis at lcurtis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0285.