A 75-year-old West Virginia woman, Margaret Louise Rog, has been arrested and charged with abuse or neglect of an incapacitated adult following her 76-year-old husband's death. Rog allegedly left her legally blind husband, who had dementia and Alzheimer's disease, stranded on the toilet for more than 19 hours whilst she slept, providing him with no food, water, or prescribed medication. A speech therapist discovered him in critical condition the following morning and called emergency services; he was hospitalised and died ten days later, with investigators identifying the prolonged abandonment as a significant contributing factor to his death.

The incident began around 3pm on 20 August when the man became unable to stand. Despite knowing he required assistance, Rog allegedly chose not to intervene or seek help, instead going to bed and leaving him unattended. When found the next morning, he was suffering from multiple severe medical conditions, including sepsis, heart failure, respiratory failure and a pulmonary embolism. According to court documents, Rog made several incriminating admissions during police interviews, including that she knew her husband needed medical assistance but "deliberately decided against providing any." She has posted a $75,000 bond and was charged on Tuesday.