Father And Daughter Arrested For Neglect Regarding Family Death Of Elderly Woman
A father, and daughter in Valley are in cusstody today regarding the death of thier wife and daughter.
Valley Police Chief Mike Reynolds issued a press release on Tuesday, May 18th, 2022 regarding the incident.
"On March 16, 2022, officers of the Valley Police Department were called to a residence in the 3600 block off 24th Avenue, Valley, in reference to an elderly female found deceased. On their arrival, officers found the resident, 72-year-old Janice Ramsey Hawkins, deceased in the living-room.
Also present were two other residents of the home, the decedent’s husband, Walter Alfred Hawkins (74) and her daughter, Christy Lee Hawkins (45). Due to the living conditions found in the home and the condition of Hawkins, officers requested investigators to respond to the scene. Valley investigators arrived, documented the scene and, after conferring with the District Attorney’s office, had Hawkins transported to the Medical Examiner’s office in Montgomery pending an autopsy. Statements were also taken from her husband and daughter.
On May 4, 2022, Valley investigators received the completed autopsy report. It stated that Hawkins’ cause of death was Failure to Thrive associated with complications of diabetes. The failure to thrive portion of factors listed five key reasons, with those being, malnutrition, body mass index 14 kilograms per meter squared (underweight according to NIH), sunken eyes and prominent ribs, dehydration as evidenced by skin tenting and deplorable living conditions, dirty clothing, foul odor and roach infestation", said Reynolds in the press release.
"Investigations found that Hawkins had not been seen by a doctor since 2019 and that none of her prescriptions, she had nine different medications, had been refilled since 2018.
On this date, with approval of the District Attorney’s Office of the Fifth Judicial Circuit", added Reynolds.
Walter Alfred Hawkins was arrested and charged with Elderly Abuse and Neglect 1st and Manslaughter. Christy Lee Hawkins was arrested and charged with Elderly Abuse and Neglect 1st. They were both transported to the Chambers County Detention Facility pending a bond hearing.