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Caregivers sentenced for disabled mother's neglect death
8 Feb
Summary
- Couple pocketed thousands while neglecting disabled mother.
- Maggots found on woman; she had hip fractures and bed sores.
- Caregivers received 10 and 11-year prison sentences.
A Lakewood couple received significant prison sentences for the neglect death of a disabled woman they were paid to care for. Brian Seitz, 37, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in December, and his girlfriend, Laura Prats, 55, received an 11-year sentence on Thursday.
Both pleaded guilty to Negligent Death of an At-Risk Person. Prosecutors argued for sentences exceeding the standard two-to-six-year range due to "extraordinary aggravation" in the case.
Sheryl Seitz, the victim, was arthritis-ridden, legally blind, and had mobility issues. Her condition deteriorated significantly in the final months of her life, despite the couple receiving $4,400 monthly for her care.
Deputies and Adult Protective Services found her living conditions unsanitary and unheated in an RV. Later, she was found on an air mattress in a garage, suffering from maggot infestation, hip fractures, bed sores, and septic shock. She died the day after being hospitalized.
Prats expressed remorse, stating she loved Sheryl and that her care "went awry" in the last four months. She claimed Sheryl would become angry when Prats wanted to call an ambulance. The judge expressed disbelief at Prats' caregiver approval, noting a lack of oversight.
