ELLISON BAY, WI - A man in his eighties has been arrested and charged after his elderly girlfriend was found on the front porch of their home.
The alleged suspect, 83-year-old Richard Engberg, was arrested on September 9, two days after he called 911 to report that his 79-year-old girlfriend needed medical attention, Law & Crime reported. A criminal complaint states that paramedics arrived at the home on the night of September 7 and found the woman near the front porch, surrounded by overgrown shrubs, and covered in maggots.
Police said she "screamed" in pain due to her skin peeling off when paramedics tried to move her. The woman was reportedly naked and covered in a comforter, lying on her side and barely responsive. Paramedics noted that she had several ulcers on her skin that were "filled with maggots."
After being moved from the area by the front porch with a MegaMover, the woman was taken to a nearby hospital in Green Bay, Wisconsin, She died on September 10.
When police spoke with Engberg, he told them that the woman's health began to decline about three weeks prior to the night he called 911. He told police that she was driving "erratically" and having issues with her memory. About a week after those symptoms started, Engberg said the woman had a seizure-like episode during which she was "saying strange things" and "twitching."
Following the incident, Engberg told police that the woman said she wanted to see if she would improve before they sought medical assistance. She began experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms and eventually started spending time on the front porch.
Engberg told police that "when he tried to move her, she would yell in pain and complain about being touched." The woman's mental state deteriorated and she "stayed on the porch because she was more comfortable there and liked the fresh air," the complaint stated.
Engberg told police that he made efforts to take care of the woman while she was on the porch, including providing her water, which she began to refuse, and yogurt and ice cream, the "only foods she would accept." He said he would wipe the woman down to keep her clean and would also use the garden hose to rinse her off.
Engberg told police that the woman "expressed relief when he did this and thanked him," the complaint said. Police believe the woman had been outside on the porch for "approximately 1 to 2 weeks."
In the complaint, police wrote that the paramedics who initially responded to the scene believed that Engberg was not "capable of caring for himself, much less another person," and "believed his level of cognitive function was low." While being questioned by police, a sergeant said he "did not feel comfortable that Engberg understood his rights."
Police wrote that while Engberg may not have meant to harm the woman, it was clear that she had allegedly been living in extreme neglect.
Engberg was charged with recklessly subjecting an individual at risk to abuse causing death. He had a court appearance on Monday, September 21, where a judge ordered that he undergo a competency exam. A hearing to discuss those findings has been scheduled for October 29. Engberg remains in custody at Door County Jail.
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