3 caregivers charged in death of elderly woman left out in heat for 6 hours

Three caregivers have been charged in the June death of an elderly woman who was left out in the heat for six hours.

Jamie Johnston, 30, Jenny Logan, 50, and Letticia Martinez, 27, have been charged with the negligent death of an at-risk person and criminally negligent homicide, both felonies, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said Tuesday in a press release.

Johnston and Martinez are also charged with second-degree forgery, a misdemeanor, according to the release.

The charges for the June 14 death of Hazel Place, an 86-year-old Cappella Assisted Living and Memory Care facility resident, came on the heels of an investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Colorado Department of Law and the Grand Junction Police Department, according to Weiser.

“When our loved ones are vulnerable and in need of care, Colorado residents should be able to trust their caregivers implicitly,” he said. “My department is committed to holding accountable those who take advantage of and cause harm to our state’s older residents.”

Place died after being left for six hours in reportedly 102-degree weather that day, The Daily Sentinel reports.

“Our internal investigation resulted in the dismissal of two team members, who were subsequently charged by the Colorado Attorney General. The third team member is now on investigatory leave,” the residence told the outlet.

She is survived by three children, their in-laws, many grand and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.