A heartless individual has been sentenced to prison for allowing her elderly, disabled mother to perish in unspeakable conditions.
Colleen Sayegh, 38, admitted to neglecting her dependent mother and received a 15-month to eight-year prison term as punishment.
Authorities discovered the frail woman in a Pennsylvania residence in a dire state on July 19, 2022. She had severe open wounds, including one as large as a fist, was severely dehydrated, and had critically low blood pressure.
The woman, who used a wheelchair, had festering wounds on her right side, emitting a putrid smell, indicating she had been left immobile and covered in excrement. Tragically, she passed away two days after being found by police.
Upon inspecting the home, officers described the living conditions as deplorable, with feces from animals littering the floor and a pervasive foul stench.
Following a stroke in February 2021, the victim, who also suffered from diabetes, became wheelchair-bound and experienced weakness on her right side, according to investigative reports.
Court proceedings revealed that the daughter believed she was managing her mother’s care adequately, attempting to treat the sores herself. However, her mother would cry out in agony whenever she attempted to tend to the wounds.
Sayegh confessed that she had not bathed her mother in months and had not sought medical attention for her in over a year. An autopsy revealed that the mother succumbed to sepsis caused by a skin infection likely originating from the unsanitary conditions she was exposed to.
Medical experts asserted that if Sayegh had properly bathed her mother, her chances of survival would have been significantly higher.
During sentencing, Sayegh mentioned her mother’s refusal of treatment, but the judge, Jackie Atherton Bernard, rebuked her, stating that even animals deserve better treatment.
The judge condemned Sayegh’s selfish actions, accusing her of prioritizing her own needs over her mother’s well-being, allowing her to deteriorate.
Despite being sentenced to 15 months to eight years in prison, many have expressed outrage that the punishment was not more severe.
One reader, David Netzoff, expressed dissatisfaction with the sentence, suggesting that Sayegh deserved a lengthier incarceration. Another individual, RamboJohnJ, criticized Sayegh for her apparent lack of remorse.
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