LANSING, MICHIGAN: An assisted living facility employee in Michigan was arrested after an 82-year-old resident under her care walked outside during a blizzard and died last year, the Attorney General’s Office said. Colleen Kelly O’Connor, 58, of East Lansing, is charged with second-degree vulnerable adult abuse, a four-year felony.
According to a press release, in the morning of December 23, 2022, O’Connor watched as the victim went outside twice without proper attire during a blizzard and single-digit temperatures with subzero windchill. The victim was identified as Lois Kathryn Cary, Lansing State Journal reports.
The victim lived at Vista Springs Imperial Park at Timber Ridge in Clinton County, which is near Lansing. Prosecutors claim that O’Connor “recklessly failed to act to prevent” Cary from going outside in the hazardous conditions.
What did the Michigan attorney say about the incident involving Colleen Kelly O’Connor?
“Caregivers have a responsibility under the law to act in the face of grave danger to a vulnerable person in their care,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement, adding “I want to thank the Bath Township Police Department for their partnership during the investigation of this tragic case.”
Lois Kathryn Cary was found partially covered in snow
Local CBS affiliate WLNS reported at the time that Cary was taking her dog for a walk and officials at the assisted living facility thought she may have become disoriented in the snow. Around 7 am that morning, a snowplow driver found Cary partially covered in snow.
Paramedics rushed her to the hospital but she died of hypothermia shortly after her arrival, prosecutors said. O’Connor was arraigned on the charges on Monday, November 20, and given a $5,000 bail.
What did Colleen Kelly O’CConno's attorney say?
O’Connor’s attorney Michael Oakes told the State Journal that he and his client will “aggressively” fight the charges.
“She worked for that company for years without incident prior to this lady walking out of this facility, and she continued working there for almost a year after that,” Oakes said, adding “At no point was she ever listed as being a danger to her patients. She had been caring for individuals for the last 35 years with no complaint ever having been made against her.”
O’Connor has a probable cause hearing scheduled for November 30.
Lois Kathryn Cary's obituary said she enjoyed outdoors and boating
According to her obituary, Cary was born in New York on June 6, 1940. While growing up, she particularly enjoyed the outdoors, boating on the Hudson River and lakes in northern New Jersey. She went to college at Hope College in Holland, Michigan and got married to Alan Cary in 1966, and both were teachers, the obituary said.
Cary also was active in church, singing in the choir. Her love of the outdoors continued as an adult.
“Lois had a true love of the outdoors and enjoyed camping and hiking, especially in Colorado with her family,” the obituary said. “She loved spending time with children. She will be remembered for the many wild animals she nurtured back to health and eventually released into the wild,” it added.
