Pennsylvania woman charged with pushing mom, who fell down stairs and died

A Pennsylvania woman was charged with involuntary manslaughter after authorities said she pushed her mother into a wall, causing her to fall down a flight of stairs to her death. 

The Lancaster County District Attorney's Office said police found 63-year-old Eileen Flugrath injured and bleeding at the bottom of a staircase outside her home on Pickwick Place in the borough of Millersville around 10:30 a.m. the morning of April 5.

Investigators said they talked to 34-year-old Elissa Waltman, who said she and her mom had been arguing when Flugrath backed up and fell down the stairs. Waltman denied touching her mother, but police said she later admitted to pushing her mom, causing her to fall into the wall and then down the staircase. 

Flugrath died four days later. An autopsy determined she died of traumatic head and neck injuries, and her death was ruled a homicide, the district attorney's office said.

Prosecutors said a resident on the building's bottom floor told police they heard a crash, then found Flugrath face down at the base of the stairs. Waltman was at the top, cursing and claiming she never touched her mom, the resident told police. 

Investigators said they saw an indentation on the wall at the top of the stairs that witnesses told them wasn't there before. 

Waltman was charged on Thursday with involuntary manslaughter and simple assault. She was denied bail in a preliminary arraignment and remains in the Lancaster County Prison, the DA's office said.