Cops: Son caused dad's death, sold his pain meds

SALT LAKE CITY - A Salt Lake City man faces drug and abuse charges in the death of his 72-year-old father's death after authorities say he was selling the man's pain pills.

A complaint filed Thursday in 3rd District Court says Alfonso Patrick Moya Jr. was primary caregiver for Alfonso Patricio Moya Sr., when he was admitted to a Veteran's Affairs hospital July 15.

Court records show the man died the following day from dehydration, malnutrition and bedsores resulting from inadequate care.

Police say Moya Jr. had been filling his father's monthly Lortab prescriptions and was selling the pain pills.

Hospital officials told the Salt Lake Tribune that the elderly man's bed sores were so severe that one the size of a fist would have required surgery, and he also had an open sore on his foot. His feet and ankles were swollen to twice their normal size. As recent as December 2010, doctors claim Moya Sr. was able to walk and speak.

When police entered Moya Jr.'s home, they say they were overwhelmed with a "a very strong odor" of bleach, feces and decomposing tissue. Although the bedding had been thrown away or put in the laundry, the mattress where the father had been lying on was "saturated with urine and feces." Moya Jr. admitted his father hadn't been bathed for two weeks, but blamed his estranged wife for not cleaning off fecal matter of Moya Sr.'s body before calling 911.

Moya Jr.'s attorney was not immediately available for comment.