Philadelphia woman charged with killing quadriplegic daughter inside home
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police have arrested a woman in connection with the death of her 32-year-old daughter last year, according to Philadelphia police.
Yelena Nezhikhovskaya, 63, is charged with third-degree murder, false reporting and drug delivery resulting in death.
Her daughter, Yulia, who was a quadriplegic, died at their home on the 9600 block of Bustleton Avenue on December 17, 2018.
"It is terrible and you would hope that anybody in those situations would reach out for help," said Acting Philadelphia Police Commissioner Christine Coulter. "I know that there's probably a very great task of caring for someone who's a quadriplegic, but there is help available."
"Oh my God, that's really scary. I've met that woman a million times, she was very nice to me I'm shocked," said neighbor Lauren Andrews.
Neighbors say it was normal to hear Yulia yelling in her mentally disabled state.
"I could hear noise but the woman was disabled and mentally disabled as well, so she would sometimes yell when she wasn't happy. It seemed fairly normal. I've been living here for three years, I've been hearing that the whole time I live here," said Andrews.
Yelena was arrested on November 16.
The official cause of death was determined to be drug intoxication and the manner to be homicide.
Sources tell Action News that Yelena gave Yulia a lethal dose of medication and alcohol.
Neighbors say they can't imagine how difficult it is caring for a 32-year-old quadriplegic, but they also cannot imagine it driving someone to murder their own daughter.
"I just cannot comprehend that. I mean there's too many agencies out here that are willing to take those children or people to help them, and I can't comprehend that," said Gaynelle Childs who lives nearby.
Nezhikhovskaya has a preliminary hearing on December 4.
