Questions surround abuse, neglect case in West Philadelphia
WEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police say a disabled man was left in critical condition in a case of abuse and neglect in West Philadelphia.
Resident Catherine Williams says she knew that one of her neighbors was caring for a relative who became a paraplegic after a traffic accident.
Williams says she did what she could to help the man she knew only as David.
"He was cold. I crochet. I made him a blanket to keep him warm," Williams said.
Over the past few months though, she lost touch with her neighbors.
Then, this past weekend, investigators from the Philadelphia Police Special Victims Unit started walking around the unit block of North Conestoga Street showing pictures to neighbors of David in the hospital covered with bed sores.
"I didn't know what was going on until they told me yesterday these cops were going around showing pictures. I didn't know he was that bad off. I didn't know he was sick like that," Williams said.
The investigation started when an unidentified woman brought David to Bryn Mawr Hospital this past Friday.
Officials there quickly transferred him to Jefferson University Hospital where he was admitted in critical condition.
Authorities say by the time David arrived at Jefferson, he was unresponsive and covered with sores in varying stages of ulceration all over his body.
Authorities also say the woman who brought David to the hospital has not returned to see him since he was admitted.
Catherine Williams says she never saw this coming.
"It just hurt me to my stomach. I'm just worried. I pray that God pulls him through," Williams said.
Questions surround who took David to the hospital.
The woman who brought David to the hospital identified herself as his sister. However, neighbors say the woman living inside the house with David identified herself as his mother.
The charge is aggravated assault by neglect, but right now there are no clearly identifiable suspects in this case.
Anyone with information is asked to call police.
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