We live out in the rural area of Parker County, Texas on 4 acres. I have a neighbor that I think I would be in my rights to shoot. He is a golf pro at a local resort and as such they provide him with a modest home . He also rents a smaller home next to his and he has placed is mom there. She has Dementia and should not be living alone. I have called the Law on him several times, but as long as his mom can say her name and knows what the date and where she is they can not do anything. He is gone a good deal of the time and leaves his mom without supervision. She goes walking every day 2 or 3 times a day and passes by our place. Last week she went walking in 15 degree weather in the dark at 7:00pm with a leather coat on. She does not have a phone and has no way to contact her son. Yesterday she knocks on my door wanting to use the bathroom. She said hers was over flowing and not able to use it. After she uses our bathroom she goes home. She barely talks and speaks really soft. I asked her if her son knew about it. She told me he was asleep. I go over to her sons house and bang on the door. I notice she put a note on his door saying she needed to goto the grocery store. I am wondering how often he checks on his mom. I think not very often. I have his cellphone and I call him. He is 30 miles away at 6:30 pm and he tells me he is at a doctors appointment. I tell him about his mom's needs and he says he will take care of it. An hour past and he has not come home. His mom is back at my house asking me to call a plumber. At this point I am wondering which method would be the least effecient a .22 to the foot?
i would document the events you see and keep a written time/date/list, and then confront the son with' either or' and explain the issues involving adult elder abuse. either attend better to moms needs or i will call adult protective services and let them decide/. its such a shame to hear these stories of older persons who are dependant on lousy relatives.
This is so sad..... I'd call every day,,, and agree with Divvi...keep documentation...take pictures... This way it will not be your word against his. I wonder what she eats???
I have called Adult Protective Service and they are backed up and it will be next week before they can get there. In the meantime they say call 911 if it is life or death. So I guess we will have to sit here and wait till it reaches that point.
I'd call his golf resort and talk to his boss - that he's neglecting his mother will not go over well. Of course, he may want to come shoot you if you do that. Can you call protectective services or a news crew or something that will embarass him?
moorsb-- I'd say walking in 15 degree weather in a leather coat in the dark and no phone to call with could be considered life or death, especially because of her Alz. and you being in the country. Have they never heard ofAlz persons getting lost? You can't leave your DW alone to help her--and no functional plumbing in her home? Documen---for now, but anything like it again --call 911. Police have to respond and then it's on them to talk to her son. I bet she gets to the top of APS's list real quick.
A reinforcing note: I agree w/the above: document, call adult protective services & 911 specifying Alz. Surely those agencies know the dangers she is in.
This is terrible!!! When a child is being abused we are under obligation to call child protective services. Aren't there any adult protective services or do people not think that some adults are as in need of protecting as children are? I agree with everything that has been suggested. I would be calling 911 everytime I saw her outside in temp. that is dangerous. Always have what you observe in writing and if you can for sure take pictures.
I have called Adult Protective Services to report the issue. I have not heard anything back and they will not disclose the status of the investigation. She has now been comming over to use our washing machine and dryer. She does not talk other than to ask if she can use them. She will not anwer any questions about what is going on. She does not knock on the door, she will walk around the outside of the house looking in to see if she can get our attention, sometimes she will tap on the window. This is nuts, to have someone looking in your house at all hours. I have called everyone and this still goes on. I hate to close the front gate to keep her out, especially is she is in need and her son will not take care of her needs, as he is not here most of the time and does not seem to care.
I wonder if speaking to an attorney might help. Since this son does not seem to care and this poor lady is constantly asking for your help for whatever it is she needs, perhaps in addition to the suggestion earlier about keeping a diary photos of her condition might add to the strength of your concerns and complaints to authorities. Perhaps the son needs a legal wake up call. Just what you don't need by the way...as if your hands are not full enough.
Maybe a call to your congress critter about the stonewalling going on and this woman's situation that seems to be going from bad to worse...The woman is suffering elder abuse.
Have you thought about calling the SHERIFF. I don't know what they could do, but the fact that you called them to report a concern may activate some investigative action...and - in any case, they would have a record of a woman wandering down the road at odd times of the day and night, wearing inappropriate outerwear and you could voice your concerns about personal liability if she should get hurt on your property. I know I would be upset if I looked up and saw someone looking in my window. Some people get shot ( having been mistaken for a peeping tom)..
I called Adult Protective services month ago and nothing has changed. The past 2 weeks we have been locking our front gate. The neighbors mom keeps comming to our house to borrow things. When ever we leave the gate open she will be over at our house knocking on the door. This morning I was shocked to see her peeking in the window at me. She has the blank look and it is very, disturbing. I have noticed that she has become more aggresive in her demands, she wanted laundry soap this morning and she would not leave till I give her some. I called Adult Protective Services again and they told me the case was still open. I wanted to talk to someone to find out why is this going on. I was told to talk with the case worker. So it is my job to let the case worker know that she is not doing her job. I guess going to her boss is pointless as she is not doing her job either. I call the sheriff and told them I wanted press charges for tresspassing. They did not want to deal with her and said that they would get on Adult protective services. I was tired of everyone passing the buck and I called her son and told him I was fed up. He said the he would put her in a nursing home this week.
moorsb--About the only thing you haven't tried is takling this to the media--if gthat's possible. If the son doesn't follow through, that might be a last ditch option. Even in smaller locales legal and social agencies don't like their errors publicized.