A Battle Ground woman was sentenced Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court to a month of jail or work release and another 30 days on a work crew for criminal mistreatment in connection with the death of an elderly woman.
Logan Skye Ruth, 37, who originally faced a charge of second-degree murder in the death of 76-year-old Beverly Jones, was not taken into custody after sentencing. Defense attorney Brandon Campbell said Ruth qualifies for work release, a program that would allow her to work outside in the community and be confined when she’s not working.
Ruth was Beverly Jones’ primary caretaker in the months leading up to the woman’s death. Ruth’s co-defendant, Beverly Jones’ son, Willard Morris Jones Jr., is facing a charge of first-degree manslaughter; his trial is set for Jan. 27, court records show.
In determining her punishment, Judge Bernard Veljacic said he was bound by Ruth’s plea to the gross misdemeanor. Veljacic also noted Ruth’s lack of felony criminal history, as well as a desire to practice proportionality to similar cases.
“It appears to me that there are others responsible for (Beverly Jones’) death. It’s not a single cause,” the judge said, adding, “I don’t doubt that Ms. Ruth could have done better” in providing medical care.
Willard Jones was charged in February 2017 for letting two unqualified women provide care for his mother. Charges were filed against Ruth in December of that year. Court records indicate Ruth dated Willard Jones, lived in the Joneses’ home and cared for Beverly Jones in exchange for free rent.
On Sept. 27, 2016, 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, according to a probable cause affidavit.
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, the affidavit said.
Her health began to rapidly decline in mid-August 2016. Her caregiver at the time, Ruth, was concerned about her temperature and that she hadn’t eaten for three days and was bedridden. However, neither Willard Jones nor Ruth took the woman to the hospital, even though a physician advised them to do so, court records state.
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, according to the affidavit.
At the hospital, Beverly Jones was diagnosed with dehydration, multiple and severe pressure sores, and severe malnutrition, among other things. She was placed in hospice, where she died Jan. 17, 2017. 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.
Deputy Prosecutor Deb Wechselblatt said that while the interpretation of the evidence was highly disputed between the parties, Ruth took on the responsibility of around-the-clock care for Beverly Jones for several months before her death.
“Unfortunately, the way she took on this role led to a decline in health, which should have been visible (to Ruth),” Wechselblatt said. “It wouldn’t be appropriate to deny Ms. Jones had a high number of medical conditions, but if it was too much to take on, (Ruth) needed to take steps to get her proper care.”
The prosecutor noted the bedsores, which were determined to have been present on Beverly Jones for about three weeks. The sores were indicative of a lack of care, which led to Beverly Jones’ death, she said.
Campbell, the defense attorney, said there were medical professionals visiting the Joneses’ home every couple of weeks — officials with a mandatory duty to report abuse, which they did not do.
He characterized the state’s decision to originally charge Ruth with second-degree murder as a “grievous mistake.”
Correction: The above article originally reported that Logan Skye Ruth to a month of jail or work release. She was also ordered to 30 days on a work crew, a kind of community service.
Jerzy Shedlock: 360-735-4522; jerzy.shedlock@columbian.com; twitter.com/jerzyms
