A 42-year-old woman, Misty McDaniel, faces allegations of severe neglect towards her elderly father, resulting in visible spine exposure through extensive ulcerations. Court documents suggest that McDaniel’s father, aged 74, suffered serious bodily harm from aggravated neglect, leading to pressure ulcerations causing his vertebrae to protrude and untreated bed sores. These injuries occurred as a result of the man being bedridden following a stroke a decade earlier.
McDaniel was apprehended in Knox County, Tennessee, following her father’s hospitalization due to dangerously high blood sugar levels that could have triggered a diabetic coma. Medical assessments on January 2 revealed his blood sugar level exceeded 600, posing a grave risk of Diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.
Allegedly, McDaniel neglected her father over a six-month period as his health declined, evident from the presence of pressure ulcers and bed sores on his lower back and other areas during the hospital examination. After admission to a critical care unit, the elderly man underwent multiple surgeries to address necrotic tissue from his wounds and received various treatments.
Reports indicate that despite their roles as caregivers, McDaniel and her husband failed to seek medical attention for the father’s health issues. Upon arrival at the hospital, it was discovered that the father had missed his diabetes medication, leading to exposed muscles and bones, including three vertebrae. Subsequently, McDaniel was taken into custody on January 17 for aggravated neglect of an elderly or vulnerable adult resulting in serious bodily harm.
The arrest took place at the family’s residence, where authorities found a stash of the father’s blood sugar medication that had not been administered to him.