A woman from Bryan, Texas has been sentenced to over 20 years in prison for the neglectful treatment of her disabled aunt, which ultimately led to her aunt’s tragic death in 2019.
On July 14, 2019, police and EMS found 52-year-old Jacqueline Reed at the residence of Latasha Nowlin. Authorities described the victim as “starved and shockingly dehydrated.”
Reed was under the care of her niece, Nowlin, who had extensive experience as a home health worker, as per a press release from the Brazos County District Attorney’s Office.
Reed’s doctor estimated that she had been deprived of fluids for at least a week, resulting in her inability to care for herself. Due to severe starvation, her weight plummeted to 60 pounds. Tragically, she passed away in August 2019 while under hospice care.
During the investigation, College Station police inquired about Nowlin’s response to the smell emanating from Reed’s bedroom. According to reports, Nowlin informed detectives that she had resorted to lighting candles. Additionally, police discovered towels that had been stuffed under Reed’s door.
Nowlin faced charges for intentionally or knowingly causing serious bodily injury to a disabled person through her failure to act. After a three-day trial, a Brazos County jury found her guilty of the offense on October 9. As a result, she was sentenced to 20.5 years in prison on December 17.
Assistant DA Kevin Capps expressed his thoughts in the statement, stating, “Jacqueline endured unnecessary and severe suffering as a result of the severe neglect from a family member who should have known better.
The defendant’s complete lack of concern directly resulted in Jacqueline’s tragic death. It is clear that the defendant deserves the prison sentence that has been imposed.”