East Lansing caregiver sentenced for death of elderly woman

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A Clinton County judge sentenced an East Lansing woman to two years of probation with the first 6 months in jail for her role in the 2022 death of an 82-year-old woman.

Colleen Kelly O’Connor, 58, was convicted of one count of second-degree Vulnerable Adult Abuse in June after the victim, who was under O’Connor’s care at Clinton County assisted living facility Vista Springs Imperial Park at Timber Ridge, died of exposure after being left unsupervised.

Evidence submitted to the court found that in the early morning of Dec. 23, 2022, O’Connor watched the victim attempt to go outside multiple times without proper attire into a blizzard with single-digit temperatures, subzero windchill, and blowing and drifting snow.

As a caregiver, O’Connor had the responsibility to act to prevent the victim from going outside into the blizzard but failed to do so.

The victim was found partially buried in snow in the facility’s parking lot at around 7 a.m. that same day by a snowplow driver, and it is unknown how long she was outside before she was found. She was transported to a hospital via ambulance and died of hypothermia shortly after arrival.

After an investigation by the Bath Township Police Department and the Department of Attorney General, O’Connor was arrested and charged on Nov. 21, 2023 .

In addition to her jail time and probation, O’Connor will also have to pay $1,115.00 in restitution to the daughter of the victim.

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