Caregiver sentenced to prison for neglecting 76-year-old woman, stealing her inheritance
A Denver judge recently sentenced a 52-year-old Denver man, Karl A. Sanchez, to neglecting and stealing from a 76-year-old woman in his care.
Sanchez was sentenced April 17 to four years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Judge Jay Grant gave Sanchez four years for felony neglect causing injury to an at-risk person, another four years for felony theft of an at-risk person, and a year for a misdemeanor charge related to providing false information. The sentences run concurrently, meaning Sanchez will serve them at the same time for a total of no more than four years.
The unidentified woman in his care was brought to Denver Health Medical Center on Christmas Eve 2021. The woman had received inheritance from her family earlier in the year and Sanchez had assumed her power of attorney, according to the arrest affidavit in the case.
Another unnamed woman described as a "new caretaker" in the affidavit became involved in the 76-year-old woman's care a week prior to taking her to the hospital. This woman told investigators that she initially found the 76-year-old woman in a bedroom containing an "overpowering smell of urine and defecation" and a "crust" in the bed and below the bed in which the woman was lying.
The "new caretaker" immediately moved the woman to a bathroom for bathing. The 76-year-old yelled out in pain during the bath, the new caretaker stated.
Five days later, the new caretaker returned with new bedsheets and diaper. She found the older woman trapped with her head under the bed's box spring, according to the affidavit. The new caretaker gave the woman another bath, but this time noticed bruising and a handprint on the woman's body.
The new caretaker contacted Sanchez after bringing the older woman to the hospital on Dec. 24. A doctor described the 76-year-old as extremely thin from malnutrition.
Sanchez, according to the affidavit, complained to the new caretaker about being alone on Christmas. The new caretaker told him to visit the older woman in the hospital, but Sanchez did not respond.
The 76-year-old woman died shortly before 2:30 a.m.
Later in the day, Sanchez became agitated, the new caretaker told investigators. He blamed doctors and nurses at the hospital for the woman's passing and demanded their names so he could "take care of business" when he arrived. Sanchez told the new caretaker he had 250 rounds of ammunition for that purpose.
The new caretaker then called police.
An arrest warrant was issued for Sanchez's arrest four days later. A jury convicted him in February.
