SPRING HILL, Fla. — A 47-year-old man has been arrested after his 79-year-old mother was found in horrific conditions at their Spring Hill home, ultimately leading to her death.
Jason Thomas Russell called 911 on September 18 after his mother became unresponsive at their shared residence on Boyce Street. When emergency personnel arrived, they found the elderly woman sitting in a wheelchair in the driveway. Russell refused to let paramedics enter the home to check her medications.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office reported that Russell, who was the primary caregiver, had severely neglected his mother. She was discovered covered in feces and urine, with open sores and maggot infestations. The home was described as heavily soiled, filled with the strong smell of ammonia, and strewn with women’s clothing and a bedside commode in the living room.
Medical evaluations later revealed the woman was malnourished and suffering from sepsis, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and severe skin infections causing flesh to rot. Despite efforts, she tragically died on September 20.
Russell admitted to bathing his mother by either dipping her in a pool or wiping her with a cloth, according to authorities. He was arrested and charged with neglect of an elderly person causing great bodily harm, as well as resisting an officer without violence. Due to the nature of the offense and a previous DUI charge for which he was out on bond, Russell is being held without bond at the Hernando County Detention Center.
