DADE CITY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Pasco County caregiver is facing elderly neglect and abuse charges after deputies found an 80-year-old living in dangerous conditions.
Richard Meyers IV, 52, was arrested on Tuesday following a welfare check at a home in Dade City.
When Pasco County deputies got to the home, they say they found “extremely deplorable and dangerous conditions” that made it unlivable.
According to an arrest report, the floors were covered with several inches of trash, dog feces and human feces. Deputies say three people were living in the two-bedroom home along with approximately 11 dogs and birds. The arrest report states all of them defecate on the floors and beds in the home.
Deputies found an 80-year-old in one of the bedrooms lying in animal and human feces. They say his blanket and his mattress were covered with feces and urine as well as blood from his open wounds and bedsores.
Fire rescue removed the victim from the home and took him to Bayfront Health Hospital to be treated for severe infections. Doctors discovered the victim was in advanced stages of sepsis and had necrotic wounds. The arrest report says workers in the emergency room also had to clean dog and human waste out of the victim’s hair and body.
Investigators say Meyers knew the victim was bedridden and in pain but refused to get him medical help because he didn’t want anyone to see the condition of his home. During an interview with deputies, he admitted he was responsible for the victim’s condition, the filth he was living in and for failing to provide medical care.
The county building department condemned the home and animal control removed several dogs.