A Florida man was sentenced to prison after his ailing mother was discovered in a home infested with bugs, feces, and urine that required police to wear biohazard suits. Jonathan Michael Miller, 51, received a seven-year jail sentence on Wednesday after pleading guilty to aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person or disabled adult in the death of Geraldine Miller, 70, according to online court documents.
An affidavit describes the incident, which occurred on June 25, 2020, when officials rushed to a home in the 400 block of NE Ninth Avenue in response to a 911 call made by Jonathan Miller at his mother’s request for medical attention.
When first responders arrived, they discovered Geraldine Miller “covered in bugs, in poor health, and requiring immediate medical treatment,” according to the affidavit.
She was rushed to the hospital on sepsis alert, and police were dispatched to check her living arrangements, according to court filings.
At the hospital, she was transported to a decontamination unit and intubated. She died after suffering from back gangrene, renal failure, anemia, low blood pressure, and sepsis.
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“In the opinion of the doctor in charge, the victim was severely neglected, and the smell of the gangrene alone should have prompted any caregiver she needed medical help,” according to the testimony. “It was also discovered during examination that the victim had live bugs crawling along her entire body including her mouth, nose, ears, anus, and vagina.”
Detectives wore biohazard gear when investigating the house. The house was plagued with insects. The furnishings and bedding were dirty. The affidavit stated that there was a distinct smell of ammonia, urine, and excrement within.
“The couch where the victim had been located laying on, was soiled with soaked in urine and feces as well as riddled with live bugs,” according to the record.
Cat excrement and urine littered the rear bedroom.
Jonathan Miller told an investigator at the home that he was his mother’s sole caregiver. She had consulted a psychologist and had “unknown mental health problems,” according to the document.
His mother was “really sick” as a result of the insects and poor living conditions. He informed the police that she was unable to care for herself, couldn’t get up for at least a week, and soiled herself while lying on the couch. He fed and watered her, but told the investigator she refused to let him care for her hygiene because she was “embarrassed,” according to the affidavit.
According to the affidavit, he served her soup on June 21, but she has only eaten ice cream since then.
According to Law and Crime, she hadn’t changed her clothes in a week and hadn’t had medical care since December 2019, when he last cleaned the house.
“Jonathan stated the house has been infested with roaches and bedbugs for several years and confirmed he did have a cat which lived inside which does not use a litter box,” according to the declaration.
When Detective Daniel Collier asked why he hadn’t requested help tending to his mother, the defendant explained that his mother wouldn’t let him.
“I specifically asked Jonathan if he felt he had neglected his mother, and he advised somewhat,'” Collier wrote in the affidavit.