Elder Abuse Filed After Man Found Living in 'Deplorable Conditions'

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, police arrived on Third Road for a report of an elderly man possibly having a stroke. Upon arriving, the officers immediately noticed deplorable conditions on the exterior of the house with windows missing, porch posts rotting, and trash and abandoned vehicles in the yard.

A man approached police and said his father was conscious and breathing but suffering from numbness.

As the officer entered the home, he was overwhelmed by the odor inside. The condition inside the home was also deplorable, police said. There were spider webs, dirt, and dust covering everything in the house, according to police. Ceiling plaster was missing and insulation was exposed and hanging down. 

In addition, there were dirty pots and pans on the stove in the kitchen, and the sink was leaking. Every room was covered in trash.

Police reached the victim in a bedroom, where he was lying on a mattress that was said to be “filthy.” The bedding was also dirty and it appeared his clothing had not been washed for quite some time.

“The odor in the upstairs was almost unbearable,” the officer said in his report.

Woburn firefighters arrived to treat the man while the responding officer requested a sergeant to the scene.

The police officers determined that the Board of Health and Woburn Building Inspector should be notified. The house was photographed by police, and in the meantime firefighters had a difficult time with the victim who was being uncooperative.

After numerous attempts to have the man go to the hospital voluntarily, it was determined that a Section 12 order needed to be filed for his well-being and the man was transported to Winchester Hospital.

A report was filed by police of elder abuse to the Executive Office of Elder Affairs, and police asked that immediate action be taken by the Board of Health and Building Inspector to determine if the house was suitable to live in.