A Plaquemine man is arrested for elder abuse after authorities say they discovered a woman in her 70s in a home lying in a hospital bed covered in filth and animal feces.
Iberville Sheriff Brett Stassi says neighbors reported not having seen the woman for months. When deputies arrived to investigate, they arrested 54-year-old Galen Marcantel after discovering a terrible scene.
“The deputies could hardly stand the stench, the smell was horrific, and there were feces and urine throughout the house in all the corners of the house,” says Stassi.
Marcantel has been charged with cruelty to persons with infirmities.
The house was allegedly home to 14 cats and two dogs, and Stassi says it appears they may have been treated better than the victim was.
“He had more cat food in the house than they had food for human consumption,” says Stassi.
The Sheriff adds this is not the first home authorities have had to remove animals from that Marcantel resided at.
Marcantel had allegedly been living with the woman for many months and had barred the victim’s family from checking up on her. Stassi says he was clearly taking advantage of her condition.
“This was this woman’s house, and it was technically destroyed, and her income was being used by this individual,” says Stassi.
The Governor’s Office for Elderly Affairs reported 1,739 caregiver neglect cases across the state last year.
