Man Accused of Neglecting Wife to Death Will Not Stand Trial

A Manassas Park man arrested in connection with his wife's death will not stand trial on his charges, after the Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorneys office decided not to prosecute the case.

 Barry J. Karsh, 62, of 123 Evans St. was arrested in April and charged with abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult.

 Karsh’s estranged wife, Jennie Karsh, of Manassas was found dead in her home at 9504 Park St. on Aug. 11.  Authorities who responded to the scene said the victim was in poor physical condition and appeared to weigh less than 90 pounds.

 Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney W. Michael Phipps, who prosecuted the case, issued a nolle prosequi Thursday, a legal term meaning the office doesn’t wish to prosecute the defendant at this time, according to court documents filed this week.

 Karsh was slated to stand trial on the charges in October, a little over a year after his wife’s death.

 Manassas Police said Jennie Karsh was found in her bed in very poor physical condition.

Jennie Karsh suffered from a mental illness and was taking medication for it, according to a search warrant affidavit.  Her estranged husband Barry Karsh was caring for her, investigators said.

 It looked as if Jennie Karsh hadn’t been kept cleaned or taken care of physically, police said.

A refrigerator in the home was unplugged and had no food inside, according to the search warrant. A smaller upstairs refrigerator had water, soda and other items inside.

 Berry Karsh told officers that he hadn’t lived with his wife in years, but visited her two or three times a day to buy her food and medications, but never cooked for her, according to the search warrant.

 On the day of her death, Berry Karsh said he arrived at her home at about 6 a.m.  and saw that her lips were, “blue and flaky,” according to the search warrant affidavit.

 He touched her lips and she made a moaning sound.  Barry Karsh said, that’s when he went to the Comcast Building on Center Street and told officers about his wife’s condition.

 Officers there referred him to social services, but that agency didn’t open to 8:30 a.m., according to the affidavit.

 The suspect told police he went back home and then called social services at 8:30 a.m. but was told to call E-911.

 By the time emergency personnel arrived, the victim was dead, according to the affidavit.

 Officers investigating Jennie Karsh’s death spoke to social services employees who said Barry Karsh had inquired about how to get his wife committed.

 They, in turn, gave him instructions on how to become his wife’s legal guardian.

 Barry Karsh told police he’d tried to obtain guardianship over his wife, but her daughter wouldn’t let him, according to the affidavit.

 The victim’s daughter told police that Karsh’s statement about her wasn’t true and that she had actually offered to pay for an attorney and help him with the guardianship process, but he hadn’t followed through.

 The victim’s daughter told police she’d received an email from Barry Karsh on the day her mother died, telling her that she should go and check on her mother because, “something seems like it is wrong.”

 On Aug. 17, 0fficers searched Barry Karsh’s home looking for evidence of, “purchases of food, medication or other caretaker supplies for Jennie Karsh.”

Officers seized checkbooks, receipts and a computer from Barry Karsh’s residence during the search.