Edmonds man’s alleged neglect led to wife’s death, report says

Published 1:30 am Thursday, December 27, 2018

EDMONDS — An Edmonds man allegedly did not provide adequate care or seek medical help as his wife’s health declined, leaving her severely dehydrated and leading to her death earlier this year, according to court documents.

Andrew Thomas, 57, was charged Friday with second-degree criminal mistreatment involving his 77-year-old wife, Maureen “June” Thomas. At the time of her death, the 5-foot-tall woman weighed 65 pounds.

Andrew Thomas was the sole caregiver, deputy prosecutor Teresa Cox wrote in Snohomish County Superior Court papers.

Paramedics were called to the couple’s Edmonds home in late March after the man found his wife unresponsive. The woman was taken to a hospital and died three days later.

An autopsy report by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office listed her cause of death as dehydration and sepsis, which was likely caused by a severe skin infection, according to the charges.

The husband reportedly admitted he was aware of the worsening infection for at least a week but did not seek treatment.

Under state law, a criminal mistreatment charge means that someone is accused of depriving a dependent person of the basic necessities of life, to the point of causing harm.

June Thomas began showing signs of dementia in 2016 and would not feed herself, according to the defendant.

The woman had not seen a medical doctor in at least 10 years, court papers say. Instead the couple sought advice from homeopathic doctors.

An out-of-state homeopathic doctor told police he was seeing the woman via video conferencing before her death.

The homeopathic doctor reportedly told officers that the woman’s health had been deteriorating rapidly, adding that he regretted not insisting that the husband seek traditional medical care.

Andrew Thomas reportedly said he didn’t take that step because it was his wife’s “wish for him to take care of her without medications,” and would resist traditional treatment, according to court documents.

The man acknowledged to officers that his wife was under her ideal weight. He said he had been feeding her smoothies, which she drank through a straw. In the last few weeks of her life, he had tried using a syringe to feed her, but most of the food was not swallowed.

Toward the end, he said she had “not been eating much of anything and was getting less and less communicative.” He told officers that he didn’t pursue in-home or hospice care, because he did not know where to look for that type of service.

Andrew Thomas, who has no criminal history, is employed in the aerospace industry. Arraignment is set for Jan. 4.

Lizz Giordano: 425-374-4165; egiordano@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @lizzgior.

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Anyone who suspects abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult is encouraged to make a report at www.dshs.wa.gov/altsa/reportadultabuse or call 866-ENDHARM (866-363-4276). Reports are confidential.