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SALT LAKE CITY — Detectives are investigating the death of a 74-year-old woman who police say had been sitting in the same chair for two weeks amid garbage, feces and dead animals.
Geneil Larsen died April 6. The day before, police were called to the woman's home near 600 East and 600 South on reports of a medical emergency, according to a search warrant affidavit filed in 3rd District Court.
"The victim was sitting in her own feces and it appeared to the medical staff and officers on scene that she had been there for a long period of time," the affidavit states.
Larsen was transported to LDS Hospital and the medical staff informed police that the woman had suffered a heart attack "but were not sure how the heart attack was caused." She had also developed an ulcer on her back, a large rash and a urinary tract infection.
"There were animal feces all over the floor and there were items of clothing and garbage scattered all over the house," the affidavit states. "There were dead animals on the floor along with even skeletons of dead animals."
Police wrote that she suffered an "extreme lack of care," although the woman's son lived in the home. He told officers that he had not seen his mother move from the chair she was sitting in for two weeks.
"He stated that he would work for 12 hours a day and then come home," the affidavit states.
Eleven different medications were found near and around the woman's chair, though some were empty. She was taken from the home around 12:45 a.m. on April 5 and was declared dead around 2 a.m. on April 6.
Salt Lake police detective Cary Wichmann said there is still an active investigation into the woman's death. Police are awaiting determination of the official cause of death from the state medical examiner.
"That can take up to three months," he said Monday.
At that point, detectives will determine whether to turn the case over to prosecutors to consider whether any charges will be filed.
Email:emorgan@ksl.com
