What awful excuses for humanity these two are! They got less than they deserved....
An Augusta woman serving seven years in prison for the neglect of a handicapped sister who died while in her care was denied a request Monday for a lighter sentence.
Jeanne Peterson and her husband, Buel "Chuck" Peterson, both told Superior Court Judge Carlisle Overstreet they did not notice that 30-year-old Christina Baxter -- their deaf, blind relative -- was losing weight during the several years she was in their care.
Judge Overstreet, however, rejected the claim, asking the couple why they had not taken Ms. Baxter, who was on Medicaid, to a doctor. The judge also pointed out that Mrs. Peterson had signed a plea agreement that prevented her from seeking an adjustment to her sentence.
In October 2007, emergency workers found Ms. Baxter dead in her front yard from severe malnourishment. The victim, who weighed just 66 pounds at the time of her death, was deaf, blind and unable to walk. Inside the home, authorities found trash, feces on the floor and walls, and an infestation of roaches. A 200-pound pig made its home in the living room.
The couple were indicted on murder charges in Richmond County Superior Court but pleaded guilty in September to neglect of a disabled person. Mrs. Peterson also pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter.
Mrs. Peterson, the primary caretaker, is serving a sentence of seven years in prison followed by three years' probation. Mr. Peterson was sentenced to what amounted to three years' probation under the First Offender Act.
He was in court Monday and argued that they regularly bathed, clothed and fed Ms. Baxter but that she often refused to eat. He said they would force her to eat in order to get a 1,500-calorie requirement that they had determined she needed based on Internet searches. "I don't know how we didn't notice she was getting thinner but we were feeding her -- making sure she got the 1,500 calories," Mr. Peterson said.
He recalled taking Ms. Baxter out to eat for what would be her final meal -- Mexican pizza, a soft drink and rice -- the night before her death. She then complained of some stomach pain, and Mr. Peterson said he gave her Mylanta for the discomfort.
Assistant District Attorney Adam King questioned why the couple had not sought medical attention for Ms. Baxter's weight loss. He also raised the issue of the handling of $600 Ms. Baxter received each month in government assistance, which the couple kept in their own accounts.
Reach Adam Folk at (706) 823-3339 or adam.folk@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
What awful excuses for humanity these two are! They got less than they deserved....
People who are being starved to death do not go out to dinner the night before. At that point they are almost comatose.
They didn't notice she was losing weight just like they didn't notice the 200 pound pig staying in their living room and the millions of roaches invading the place.
Where are thier pictures?
Both of them need to be starved to death. This is not justice for the victim. Lighter sentence my rear end - both parties need to serve the same sentence they gave Ms. Baxter.
All they wanted basically was her check, they lived off of it.
Judge Overstreet, a wise decision!
They bathed, clothed, and fed her regularly but could leave feces all over the floor and walls, trash everywhere, a 200 lb pig living in the house...yeah right...that's his tale, I sit on mine. They've been shown mercy they did not show to her, I hope they use it wisely.
This is despicable. How could anyone live in such nasty conditions. These two people deserve to have some sort of disease themselves for allowing a disabled person to live in such squalid conditions. Pigs, by nature, are nasty animals, and it is impossible to imagine what it must have smelled like inside that house. Not to mention an infestation of cockroaches and who knows what other kind of bugs. These people are worse than low life scum. Their sentences should be served in a pig sty.
I was in that house on that day. I can tell you that no normal human being would live in a house like that. Some things the media also didn't tell you is that they had 6 dogs living in the house with them and they used the bathroom on the floors. They stayed in one room of the house, a converted garage. The kitchen was not usable, no working appliances. I don't know how the Peterson's bathed Ms. Baxter daily when you could not use the bath or shower. They had spray painted over all the windows in the house so you could not see inside. But one plus, the Peterson's had a brand new computer! One last thing, they had Ms. Baxter sleeping on a futon mattress on the floor underneath their regular sized bed, next to a wall. Thank you Judge for doing the right thing in this case. I am saddened that they received a light sentence in the first place but what can you do?
Aren't people on disablity/medicaid, evaluated every so often?
Butler123 - Nope. Disability is not like DFACS. The check just shows up. What disgusts me so much is that the disabled woman was family to Ms. Peterson. Six dogs, a pig, and a poor woman that could not do things for herself, plus two pieces of human excrement that were in it only for the check. I agree with the above -- let them both starve to death themselves !!
They should have got a lot more time in my opinion.
Where was DFACS? Oh, I forgot somewhere investigating a parent for spanking their child.
I don't guess this question is really that relevant, but I'm very curious! Does anyone know how she got out into the front yard.
Her "loving" family placed her out there, then called EMS.
They did not wish for EMS to enter the home.
The real sentence should be for these two to be sent to a third world country in poverty and be made to care for those who can no longer take care of themselves due to hunger / disease for the rest of their lives. Make sure they only receive 1500 calories a day divided between them. We as a a society need to make the punishment "truly" fit the crime.
butler123, depends on the disability. How many deaf, blind, and immobile people do you know that recover, when they have been that way since birth or early childhood? What REALLY got me is the terrible lie he told about how they gave her a 1,500 calorie per day diet, but she weighed 66 pounds.
brownskin30434, she was dragged out there by the couple because they didn't want police or fire to enter the house. They were aware of the condition of the house and didn't want us to see it. If you happen to check this posting again.
Actually she weighed 34 pounds from what I remember.
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