Alex Thomas
Police arrested 52-year-old Richard Meyers IV of Dade City, Florida on Tuesday after they found an 80-year-old man covered in feces and urine at his home.
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The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office arrested Meyers after conducting a welfare check at his house at 7:30 on Tuesday morning. When they entered they discovered a disgusting sight — three people were living in the house along with about a dozen dogs and birds. The floor was covered with several inches of animal waste and trash and the unnamed victim was lying on a mattress and was unable to move or even have a full conversation with deputies.
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According to the police report cited by the Tampa Bay Times, the elderly man was forced to urinate and defecate on himself “for an unknown period of time.” The dogs living in the home also defecated on the man. Meyers reportedly admitted that he was at blame for the state of the house. He also told deputies that he didn’t get medical help for the old many because “he did not want anyone to see the deplorable conditions of his home.” Police are not saying how Meyers is related to the victim.
There were also bleeding wounds on the victim and when police rescued him, he was rushed to the Bayfront Health Hospital and treated for infections. At the hospital, personnel discovered advanced sepsis (a life-threatening bacterial infection that festers in unclean wounds). Emergency room workers had to clean dog and human waste from the victim’s hair and body, according to WFLA.
Meyers was fined $1,469 by the county and authorities condemned the house and removed the dogs. But this isn’t his first tangle with the law, the 52 year old is on the sex offender list after he was convicted on a lewd or lascivious battery charge.
Meyers was charged with neglect and abuse of the elderly, which is a first-degree felony according to the Florida penal code.
