Crystal Perdue, 37, stood in court Friday, crying and barely able to speak. She was facing a possible 30 years in prison for causing the death of her boyfriend by neglect.
"I loved him with all my heart, but I failed him," she said through tears.
Perdue told her lawyer that she and her boyfriend, John Earle, 41, were happy in their home, in Rock Hill, but when his health took a turn in 2011, he quickly went downhill.
Earle was an insulin-dependent diabetic and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He went blind as well, and became totally dependent on Perdue. He had had to be helped to the bathroom and couldn't bathe himself.
He was released from a hospital on March 9, 2012, and lived full-time with Perdue. The understanding was he would have regular doctor's visits, and home health nurses would come to the house.
Prosecutors gave Channel 9 pictures of the couple's home, on Greenbrier Avenue in Rock Hill. The pictures show the kitchen and other rooms knee-high in trash and animal waste.
"I loved him with all my heart, but I failed him," she said through tears.
Perdue told her lawyer that she and her boyfriend, John Earle, 41, were happy in their home, in Rock Hill, but when his health took a turn in 2011, he quickly went downhill.
Earle was an insulin-dependent diabetic and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He went blind as well, and became totally dependent on Perdue. He had had to be helped to the bathroom and couldn't bathe himself.
He was released from a hospital on March 9, 2012, and lived full-time with Perdue. The understanding was he would have regular doctor's visits, and home health nurses would come to the house.
Prosecutors gave Channel 9 pictures of the couple's home, on Greenbrier Avenue in Rock Hill. The pictures show the kitchen and other rooms knee-high in trash and animal waste.
https://twitter.com/GSuskinWSOC9/status/627199722206429185
There was no room to walk through the house. Police detectives later said they had to move trash to even open the door. As conditions in the house deteriorated, Earle was no longer being cared for.
His parents were not allowed inside the house when they came to see their son. They noticed heavy curtains in the windows, preventing them from looking inside.
They only saw inside the home after their son was removed months later, nearly dead.
"Going to the house after all this happened and seeing how he was living just, it just breaks our heart," said his stepfather, Roger Helms.
Prosecutors said at some point, Perdue stopped giving Earle insulin or any other medication and quit treating his worsening bedsores and other injuries.
There was no room to walk through the house. Police detectives later said they had to move trash to even open the door. As conditions in the house deteriorated, Earle was no longer being cared for.
His parents were not allowed inside the house when they came to see their son. They noticed heavy curtains in the windows, preventing them from looking inside.
They only saw inside the home after their son was removed months later, nearly dead.
"Going to the house after all this happened and seeing how he was living just, it just breaks our heart," said his stepfather, Roger Helms.
Prosecutors said at some point, Perdue stopped giving Earle insulin or any other medication and quit treating his worsening bedsores and other injuries.
ROCK HILL, S.C. — https://twitter.com/GSuskinWSOC9/status/627129934205591552
She also refused to return calls from home health nurses who were supposed to come visit Earle and care for him.
Assistant Solicitor Erin Joyner said Perdue also lied to nurses, telling them he wasn't at home when they showed up.
In fact, Earle only saw a doctor once from March 9, 2012, until May 23 when he was removed from the home.
Department of Social Services was called to the house because there were also two young children living there in squalor.
When he was removed from the home he was severely dehydrated, emaciated and covered in bedsores, bug bites and filth. His catheter had mold growing in it. His blood sugar was so high it was unreadable.
Deputy solicitor Willy Thompson said Perdue knew better and never reached out for help.
"She could've gotten help any number of ways. It would be very easy. Family was there to help at any time," Thompson said.
Yet Perdue’s lawyer, Mindy Lipinski, said she was overwhelmed with caring for her sick boyfriend and two children. She was constantly working once Earle no longer could. She said Earle was firm on his wish that he did not want to go back to a nursing home, where he had once briefly stayed.
And that he didn't want family to see him, or be a burden to them. And Perdue went along with his wishes.
"She should have stood up to him, and she should not have let him make that decision for himself," Lipinski said.
Three months after being taken from the home, Earle died, on Sept. 9, 2012, his 41st birthday.
As a condition of Perdue’s bond, she was not allowed to see him and never saw him again before he died.
Lipinski also told the judge that Perdue suffered from mental illness, was sexually assaulted when she was younger and dealt with the pain of losing her father, who was murdered when she was only five years old.
"You can see even here in this courtroom that she has low self-esteem," Lipinski said. "She came here alone today, even though i urged her to bring people with her."
Prosecutors had asked for a lengthy prison sentence because Earle was clearly unable to care for himself and was dependent on Perdue.
She also had two young children living there and was charged with neglecting them too, but, those charges were dropped as part of Friday’s guilty plea.
Members of Earle’s family said they were disappointed in the lack of prison time but relieved that the ordeal was over.
Assistant Solicitor Erin Joyner said Perdue also lied to nurses, telling them he wasn't at home when they showed up.
In fact, Earle only saw a doctor once from March 9, 2012, until May 23 when he was removed from the home.
Department of Social Services was called to the house because there were also two young children living there in squalor.
When he was removed from the home he was severely dehydrated, emaciated and covered in bedsores, bug bites and filth. His catheter had mold growing in it. His blood sugar was so high it was unreadable.
Deputy solicitor Willy Thompson said Perdue knew better and never reached out for help.
"She could've gotten help any number of ways. It would be very easy. Family was there to help at any time," Thompson said.
Yet Perdue’s lawyer, Mindy Lipinski, said she was overwhelmed with caring for her sick boyfriend and two children. She was constantly working once Earle no longer could. She said Earle was firm on his wish that he did not want to go back to a nursing home, where he had once briefly stayed.
And that he didn't want family to see him, or be a burden to them. And Perdue went along with his wishes.
"She should have stood up to him, and she should not have let him make that decision for himself," Lipinski said.
Three months after being taken from the home, Earle died, on Sept. 9, 2012, his 41st birthday.
As a condition of Perdue’s bond, she was not allowed to see him and never saw him again before he died.
Lipinski also told the judge that Perdue suffered from mental illness, was sexually assaulted when she was younger and dealt with the pain of losing her father, who was murdered when she was only five years old.
"You can see even here in this courtroom that she has low self-esteem," Lipinski said. "She came here alone today, even though i urged her to bring people with her."
Prosecutors had asked for a lengthy prison sentence because Earle was clearly unable to care for himself and was dependent on Perdue.
She also had two young children living there and was charged with neglecting them too, but, those charges were dropped as part of Friday’s guilty plea.
Members of Earle’s family said they were disappointed in the lack of prison time but relieved that the ordeal was over.
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