92 Year Old Woman Charged With Killing Son

RadishRose

RadishRose

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Connecticut, USA
(CNN)A 92-year-old woman allegedly killed her son in Arizona because she did not want to be sent to an assisted living facility, authorities said.



Anna Mae Blessing was charged with first degree murder, aggravated assault and kidnapping after authorities found her 72-year-old son dead Monday at their home in Fountain Hills, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said.


Blessing hid two pistols in the pockets of her robe and shot her son several times in his bedroom, the sheriff's office said in a statement.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/04/us/elderly-woman-son-death-assisted-living-trnd/index.html
 

She also tried killing her son's girlfriend, but girlfriend able to get one gun away from her and the other was apparently dropped by the 92 yr old. No matter if she is 92 or 30, first-degree murder is first-degree murder and she should be convicted of it. End of story.
 

She'd rather live in a jail cell than an assisted living facility? What was she thinking?

Plus, no one can make you leave your home due to age or even health issues unless the Health Dept condemns the property.

If her son would have forced her to go against her will then HE would be in jail.
 
This sounds like another sad case of age/health issues destroying another life...in this case, two lives. It's unfortunate, but so many elderly cannot cope with the thought of spending their declining months/years in some sort of marginal care facility. She will probably wind up in some sort of state Mental facility, where she won't have much to look forward to.
 
That's shocking. She probably thought nothing would happen to her because of her age but I'm afraid she faces worse than a nursing home.
 
Agree with Hootie.

Lara's thought about preferring a jail cell to assisted living makes me think she wasn't really cognizant of the difference.

Who knows what went on in that house?

Was her son bullied by her for a long time?

Was her son hateful or abusive toward her? Apparently not, since she didn't want to leave, OR was it her own house and it was he who refused to leave?

I think, although tragic, this case would make a fascinating book once all the details have been uncovered.
 
She probably thought nothing would happen to her because of her age but I'm afraid she faces worse than a nursing home.
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I doubt that she sat down and analyzed the situation to that extent. Killing her son was not a rational act, unless she was doing it in self-defense. She was probably literally out of her mind with panic about being "put" in assisted living. Either dementia or
plain, old-fashioned paranoia.
 
I agree with you, did her son and girlfriend want her money, and the house, I went to court over my mother ( received a court order), took her out of a hospital , they said she would die soon, was told by my sister she would sue me if she died, flew her to utah got her well, it was a mess,I hired two attorney's , one died on the way to get my mom out of the hospital, he had a car wreck, hit a tree
RadishRose said:
Agree with Hootie.

Lara's thought about preferring a jail cell to assisted living makes me think she wasn't really cognizant of the difference.

Who knows what went on in that house?

Was her son bullied by her for a long time?

Was her son hateful or abusive toward her? Apparently not, since she didn't want to leave, OR was it her own house and it was he who refused to leave?

I think, although tragic, this case would make a fascinating book once all the details have been uncovered.
Click to expand...
 
OR....it could be a medication problem. That's a huge problem as people age and start to fail. They forget to take it, or mix meds by mistake, or take the wrong one at the wrong time, or take the wrong dosage, all all of those.

I read where one SF member said that marijuana and opioids can cause schizophrenia or was it just the latter? Anyway, it's another concern. And also stopping a medication routine cold turkey does something neurologically sometimes.

Multiple types of meds for a variety of symptoms gets to be way too much to keep track of alone. My mother was extremely sharp mentally but as she got sicker in the last 5 months I had to check her days/week pillbox daily and often found issues in the box needing attention
 
Yes , it could be her Meds, just hope they do more investigating.
Lara said:
OR....it could be a medication problem. That's a huge problem as people age and start to fail. They forget to take it, or mix meds by mistake, or take the wrong one at the wrong time, or take the wrong dosage, all all of those.

I read where one SF member said that marijuana and opioids can cause schizophrenia or was it just the latter? Anyway, it's another concern. And also stopping a medication routine cold turkey does something neurologically sometimes.

Multiple types of meds for a variety of symptoms gets to be way too much to keep track of alone. My mother was extremely sharp mentally but as she got sicker in the last 5 months I had to check her days/week pillbox daily and often found issues in the box needing attention
Click to expand...
 
Lara said:
OR....it could be a medication problem. That's a huge problem as people age and start to fail. They forget to take it, or mix meds by mistake, or take the wrong one at the wrong time, or take the wrong dosage, all all of those.

I read where one SF member said that marijuana and opioids can cause schizophrenia or was it just the latter? Anyway, it's another concern. And also stopping a medication routine cold turkey does something neurologically sometimes.

Multiple types of meds for a variety of symptoms gets to be way too much to keep track of alone. My mother was extremely sharp mentally but as she got sicker in the last 5 months I had to check her days/week pillbox daily and often found issues in the box needing attention
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Lara, that is so true. It's so easy to forget or without the glasses on, ingest the wrong pill! Thank goodness your mom had you to monitor her meds. This could have easily been a factor.
 
Lara said:
She'd rather live in a jail cell than an assisted living facility? What was she thinking?

Plus, no one can make you leave your home due to age or even health issues unless the Health Dept condemns the property.

If her son would have forced her to go against her will then HE would be in jail.
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Except that it wsn't her house. She was staying with the son and his girlfriend.
 
The perfect storm of aging, existing relationship and personality issues boil over basically. The mother probably was already upset at the son for various things through out his life and obviously had to think about doing it-the fact that murder was an option to her let alone the fact she couldn't or wouldn't talk herself out of it is not just an old age issue-that's a morals issue and personality flaw.

I will say I've observed many in their senior years at this point in my life and you frequently get to see the real deal because many are too tired to put up a front when they get old. Many have not aged well physically or mentally, they are not aging gracefully or using their years of experience and wisdom to it's fullest.

Oh well, hopefully the jail cell is suitable for her liking-dumb butt. Instead of a rocking chair I hope she gets a chair called old sparky.
 
very sad case - my wifes aunt was very smart and able and was living with her son and his wife for a while and had plenty of cash - but apparently she could be a bit fussy and they decided she was 'too much bother etc etc" - I think we forget at times that our mothers more than fathers put so much love and attention into our lives at least for the first 18 years and sometimes beyond. I do think it is beholden for us to repay the same effort. it may be of some discomfort but don't mothers go through discomforts over their children?

ps: the aunt was moved to an expensive retirement home but was lonely and missed her family - she died within a year. My diagnosis was loneliness

for me it's too easy to put them away and then visit once a week; once a fortnight; once a month? - I've always said to my wife we should take care of her mother [who is at present 80 in a relationship and living an independent life style thank you!] for as long as we can. what comes to mind is "i never promised you a rose garden" - and "life isn't always meant to be easy"

we live in 'convenience' worlds and find it difficult to make to many efforts. It might have been possible to avert this whole sorry state with some extra love and effort? It will be interesting if any more 'facts' emerge from this sad tale

pps: I also ponder about all those elderly loners [widows/widowers] living alone and getting occasional visits from family when they can fit it into their busy lives? There is a newish scheme introduced in UK where teams of volunteers visit the elderly - offer transport for shopping and docs and it has cut down the elderly visits to docs and hospital dramatically. they only went to those places with minor complaints because they were lonely!
 
gumbud said:
very sad case - my wifes aunt was very smart and able and was living with her son and his wife for a while and had plenty of cash - but apparently she could be a bit fussy and they decided she was 'too much bother etc etc" - I think we forget at times that our mothers more than fathers put so much love and attention into our lives at least for the first 18 years and sometimes beyond. I do think it is beholden for us to repay the same effort. it may be of some discomfort but don't mothers go through discomforts over their children?

ps: the aunt was moved to an expensive retirement home but was lonely and missed her family - she died within a year. My diagnosis was loneliness

for me it's too easy to put them away and then visit once a week; once a fortnight; once a month? - I've always said to my wife we should take care of her mother [who is at present 80 in a relationship and living an independent life style thank you!] for as long as we can. what comes to mind is "i never promised you a rose garden" - and "life isn't always meant to be easy"

we live in 'convenience' worlds and find it difficult to make to many efforts. It might have been possible to avert this whole sorry state with some extra love and effort? It will be interesting if any more 'facts' emerge from this sad tale

pps: I also ponder about all those elderly loners [widows/widowers] living alone and getting occasional visits from family when they can fit it into their busy lives? There is a newish scheme introduced in UK where teams of volunteers visit the elderly - offer transport for shopping and docs and it has cut down the elderly visits to docs and hospital dramatically. they only went to those places with minor complaints because they were lonely!
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I'd guess your wife's aunt was more than "a bit fussy" and would further speculate that her son agonized over placing his mother in a retirement home. He likely tried numerous strategies to make things work out in his own home before coming to that conclusion.

Unlike sitcom portrayals, there's nothing entertaining or amusing about even early stages of Alzheimer's (later stages are impossible) or other forms of dementia. Adults with declining cognitive abilities are incredibly difficult and exhausting to live with. Not everyone is temperamentally built to cope with being under the same roof.

I've seen nice Assisted Living facilities up close. If it becomes a stop on my life's journey I'll be OK with it. Better that than burdening my children with a moral obligation to house and entertain me, or possibly worse, sitting home alone day after day with nothing to do.
 
well first in my wifes aunts case [whom I knew well too] you have made the wrong guess full stop. we also knew the son well - guessed wrong again SS.

you then go on to 'in tongue' suggest that there may have been sort of dementia etc etc - wrong call again in the aunts case!

and yes the assisted living conditions were good - BUT that was not the point - she wanted to be with her family and none would extend the hand of friendship. Her own son said " well mom ya can keep yaself busy - entertaining your co- inhabitants and may run some arts and crafts programs for them - in theory possible BUT that was not what she wanted or needed.

Thanks for your advice SS - it was interesting but redundant!
 
The way things are going in Australia now my daughter will have to work until she is close to 70. I will then be close to 90. I have no wish to become her dependent because I think that after raising four children while working as a nurse and also managing to contribute significantly to the community she should have time to enjoy her as yet unborn grand children and her retirement.

She has Power of Attorney and Medical Guardianship over her parents and I trust her completely to make good decisions about my care. In my right mind now I am not distressed by the idea that I might need a place in a nursing home some time in the future and plan to look around myself for a good one. In fact, I know a complex not too far away that is excellent.
 
Warrigal said:
The way things are going in Australia now my daughter will have to work until she is close to 70. I will then be close to 90. I have no wish to become her dependent because I think that after raising four children while working as a nurse and also managing to contribute significantly to the community she should have time to enjoy her as yet unborn grand children and her retirement.

She has Power of Attorney and Medical Guardianship over her parents and I trust her completely to make good decisions about my care. In my right mind now I am not distressed by the idea that I might need a place in a nursing home some time in the future and plan to look around myself for a good one. In fact, I know a complex not too far away that is excellent.
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Diatribe Alert!

I hope nursing homes are better than in the US. Here no matter how hard one tries in an nursing home or assisted living facility they are flawed just as many hospitals because most working in them are there for a paycheck. Not because they love caring for people, sure there are a few but the size and money involved in these operations are breeding grounds for negligence, corruption, crime and/or abuse. One of the common themes I hear from people is that their loved ones wind up being robbed blind so to speak. Once the staff realizes you are out of it and/or don't care it's open season on your stuff and 'treatment'.

The last few people I know who went in one realized they were there to die and acted like it after the newness wore off. Part of the problem with the way seniors are viewed & treated is that many are not proactive in their approach to physical & mental health. Best thing society can do for seniors is to physically and mentally treat them as older person still living among us, not old fart waiting to die. I know several in their 80s who started a regular exercise program with results.

That being said this 92 year old woman is still a murdering criminal. To play devils advocate-She like many seniors and younger Americans did not or do not plan, save or invest with living into their 90s in mind so now there are financial pressures and/or limited choices. The choice is does one want to live in comfort, with dignity & pride or write their final chapter in life as a criminal. There are reasons people say things like "They are aging gracefully", "Class act" or "They didn't complain". Quite frankly I don't get all upset with certain individuals young or old who snivel about their physical or financial condition especially when they had decades in the second half of their life especially change it(After they let it happen) I know people/drunks/druggies in their 50s who think the world still owes them and 80 year olds who can't handle the fact the age has indeed caught up to them-both are selfish, vindictive and have rationalized ify/criminal behavior no matter how "minor" they think it is. And they cry, whine, moan etc because they did not accept reality and/or try to change/manage it.

The ends do not justify the means, 90 years to learn that lesson and this 92 year old woman/mom failed miserably.
 
gumbud said:
well first in my wifes aunts case [whom I knew well too] you have made the wrong guess full stop. we also knew the son well - guessed wrong again SS.

you then go on to 'in tongue' suggest that there may have been sort of dementia etc etc - wrong call again in the aunts case!

and yes the assisted living conditions were good - BUT that was not the point - she wanted to be with her family and none would extend the hand of friendship. Her own son said " well mom ya can keep yaself busy - entertaining your co- inhabitants and may run some arts and crafts programs for them - in theory possible BUT that was not what she wanted or needed.

Thanks for your advice SS - it was interesting but redundant!
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What do you mean "Full Stop" ??
 
ClassicRockr said:
She also tried killing her son's girlfriend, but girlfriend able to get one gun away from her and the other was apparently dropped by the 92 yr old. No matter if she is 92 or 30, first-degree murder is first-degree murder and she should be convicted of it. End of story.
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Not end of story. She is obviously senile and needs to be placed in a hospital environment. This happened here so I see lots of TV footage you don't. It's a sad story for all.
 
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