Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Westminster Woman in Neglect of Vulnerable Adult Death Investigation
(Walhalla, SC)-----------------------------------A Westminster woman remains in jail tonight, on a $30,000 surety bond, after her arrest today on a charge of Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult Resulting in Death in an ongoing Oconee County Sheriff’s Office investigation.
51 year old Lorie Ellen Lee, of Dorothy Road, was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center at around 12:36pm by a Deputy assigned to the Warrants Unit.
The Sheriff’s Office began an investigation on September 18th of this year as a Deputy assigned to the Uniform Patrol Bureau was asked to conduct a welfare check at an address on Dorothy Road, which is near Westminster and the Longcreek Highway. The welfare check was on an 83 year female and was made at the request of a family member.
Upon arrival, the Deputy made contact with some family members of the 83 year old female, which included Lee. After receiving consent to enter the residence, the Deputy detected a strong odor inside and observed the residence to be in disarray. The Deputy made contact with the victim and observed her lying in a bed in unsanitary conditions. The victim was also unresponsive and had wounds on her body.
Paramedics were requested to respond and transported the 83 year old. The Deputy contacted a Violent Crime Investigator assigned to the Criminal Investigations Bureau. The responding Deputy also placed the victim into Emergency Protective Custody and contact was made with the Department of Social Services.
The 83 year old victim subsequently died in September. Based upon evidence obtained during the investigation, and after a consultation with a Judge, an arrest warrant was obtained against Lee.
According to the arrest warrant, Lee is listed as the primary caregiver of the victim, who was bed-bound. The arrest warrant also states that Lee failed to provide necessary sustenance and care to the victim, which resulted in her death.
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