Woman Sentenced for Elder Abuse

By: North County Times - Wednesday, November 7, 2007

FRENCH VALLEY -- A woman was sentenced Friday to 150 days in jail and ordered not to accept employment in the elder care industry after pleading guilty to felony elder abuse.

Lillie Mae Stewart, 42, of Murrieta, will serve the sentence on consecutive weekends, court records show. The sentencing at Southwest Justice Center in French Valley stemmed from her conviction for the abuse of a 70-year-old man who was discovered in July living in an unventilated garage as temperatures topped 100 degrees outside.

Stewart was arrested when police were called to a home on Mayfield Union Way and discovered the man living in the garage with a cot to sleep on and a portable toilet to use. Police said they believed the man, who was malnourished and could not walk without help from officers, had been in that situation for about a month.

Police found that Stewart had been caring for the elderly man for five years and had been receiving monthly compensation checks of $2,000 from the state for his care.

Source: North County Times