Clearwater man charged with attempted murder in beating of his elderly mother

CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA) – Police charged a 60-year-old Clearwater man with the attempted murder of his elderly mother.

Detectives arrested Daniel Edward Richards Tuesday. Police said the suspect and his 83-year-old mom were in the midst of a verbal argument Monday. Richards then threw his mom to the floor. He kicked her and stomped on her, police said. “He gave detectives multiple accounts of how the injuries were sustained, but detectives were able to disprove these reports,” police said. 

The victim is in critical condition. She sustained punctured lungs, rib fractures and displacement, a fractured sternum, a fractured clavicle and a bilateral brain bleed.

“The defendant indicated he could have walked away but he didn’t,” police said.