Living In 'Deplorable' Conditions, Elderly Man Removed From Home

DADE CITY, FL - Deputies found an 80-year-old man living in "deplorable and dangerous conditions" when they made a welfare check at a Dade City home on Tuesday, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. The victim was found in his bed, lying in animal and human feces, urine and blood with multiple bedsores, deputies said. A 52-year-old caregiver was arrested and charged with neglect/abuse of the elderly.

Deputies said they found the floors of the home covered several inches deep with trash, dog and human feces. Along with the three people who lived in the home, deputies found 11 dogs and birds inside the residence who had been defecating on floors and beds, according to an arrest affidavit. Deputies said the victim "was unable to carry on a conversation" and was removed from the home by fire rescue.

The dwelling "was found to be uninhabitable due to feces and other decaying matter within, as well as a deteriorating structure," the affidavit said. The elderly man, who was bedridden and in pain, was forced to throw his feces on his bedroom floor and share his bed with dogs that "urinated and defecated around him," deputies said.

The caregiver was identified as Richard Meyers IV, 52, of Dade City. He was arrested and transported to the Land O' Lakes jail. Deputies said Meyers refused to seek medical help for the elderly man because he did not want anyone to see the condition of his home.

Due to the home's unsanitary conditions, fire rescue wore "additional protective equipment" to remove the vicim. The elderly man was taken to Bayfront Health Hospital to be treated for severe infections from open wounds, deputies said. The victim was found to have advanced stages of sepsis and necrotic wounds.

Units from animal control, social services, and the building department responded to the home. The building department condemned the residence and animal services removed several dogs. Pasco County Code Enforcement issued four citations to Myers for a total of $1,469 in code violations.

Image via Shutterstock; 2nd image of Richard Meyers IV via Pasco Sheriff's Office