3 days ago
Man found dead in home with no AC, GA cops say. Goddaughter accused of neglect
The goddaughter of a man found dead in an Atlanta-area home has been charged with neglect, Georgia police said.
Authorities accused Rachel Ward, 62, of 'willfully depriving' Earl Sylvester Douglas of adequate health care and shelter before his death, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by McClatchy News.
Douglas was reportedly kept in filthy living conditions at the home, which police said didn't have working air conditioning.
Officers were called around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 28, about an 'unresponsive male' at the home in Marietta, Cobb County Police said in a May 29 news release. The victim, later identified as Douglas, was pronounced dead.
Authorities couldn't confirm Douglas's age but described him as 'elderly.'
Ward identified herself as his goddaughter, a police spokesperson told McClatchy News, and the affidavit said she had been his caregiver since 2011.
Authorities said Ward didn't seek medical attention for her godfather when he fell ill and his bed sores became infected. As he began losing a 'significant' amount of weight, Ward failed to give him 'adequate nutrition' to keep him healthy, according to police.
In addition to the lack of air conditioning, authorities said Ward didn't clean Douglas's room or bed and left him soiled.
McClatchy News reached out to the Cobb County Medical Examiner's Office for more information May 30 and was awaiting a response.
Ward was arrested and remained in custody at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond as of Friday, online records show.
Marietta is about a 20-mile drive northwest from downtown Atlanta.
