A Battle Ground man is accused of manslaughter after allegedly letting his 76-year-old mother die from neglect and malnutrition, according to court records.
Willard Morris Jones Jr. appeared Friday in Clark County Superior Court on a warrant for first-degree domestic violence manslaughter and first-degree domestic violence theft.
Jones is accused of letting two unqualified women provide care for his mother, Beverly Jones. He also allegedly stole $170,019 in cash and assets from his mother, which included putting her house in his name, an affidavit of probable cause in support of the charges states.
On Sept. 27, a worker with Adult Protective Services contacted Battle Ground police regarding a referral involving Beverly Jones. During their investigation, police learned Willard Jones was designated as his mother’s guardian and was authorized to make financial and health care decisions for her, the affidavit said.
Beverly Jones was unable to walk, largely due to a prior hip fracture, or care for herself. She suffered from numerous medical conditions, including dementia, and required constant care, according to court documents.
Her health began to rapidly decline in mid-August 2016. Her caregiver at the time was concerned about her temperature and that she hadn’t eaten for three days and was bedridden. However, neither Willard Jones nor the caregiver took the woman to the hospital, even though a physician advised them to do so, court records said.
About a month later, a previous caregiver of Beverly Jones’ checked in on her and found the woman to be thin and frail, ungroomed and lying on dirty sheets. Willard Jones called for an ambulance when they realized she had bedsores, the affidavit states.
At the hospital, Beverly Jones was diagnosed with dehydration, multiple and severe pressure sores, and severe malnutrition, among other things. She was placed in a hospice, where she died Jan. 17. The Clark County medical examiner listed her death as a secondary result of neglect and malnutrition with other significant factors related to her medical conditions, court records show.
Senior Deputy Prosecutor Abbie Bartlett said in a phone interview that Jones is the only person charged in the case at this time, because he was supposed to be his mother’s guardian.
During his first appearance, Jones was appointed an attorney and his bail was set at $40,000. He will be arraigned Feb. 23, court records show.
