Michigan caregiver bound over for trial in freezing death of 82-year-old woman
(CBS DETROIT) - A 58-year-old Michigan woman charged in connection with the hypothermia death of an elderly woman is bound over for trial, the Michigan Attorney General's office announced Thursday.
Officials say Colleen Kelly O'Conner, of East Lansing, worked at Vista Springs Imperial Park at Timber Ridge, an assisted living facility in Clinton County, when she allegedly failed to prevent the 82-year-old woman from going outside during a storm.
On Dec. 23, 2022, O'Conner allegedly spotted the woman twice attempting to go outside with the proper attire. The woman was found in the parking lot partially buried in snow. She was taken to a hospital and died due to hypothermia, state officials say.
It is unknown how long she was outside before she was found.
O'Connor is charged with second-degree vulnerable adult abuse, a four-year felony.
"Caregivers have a responsibility to act when a vulnerable person in their care faces a dangerous, potentially fatal, situation," Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. "I want to thank the Bath Township Police Department for their partnership during the investigation of this tragic case."
