An Edmonton-area couple has been sentenced to four years in prison each for the death of a 76-year-old woman due to criminal negligence. June Briggs and Richard McElroy were living with Briggs’ mother, Dianne Simmons, on a rural property in Sturgeon County in the spring of 2023. Simmons fell and remained on the floor for up to 10 days without proper care until she became unresponsive on June 7, 2023.
After McElroy called 911, Simmons was taken to the hospital where she passed away the next day. Briggs and McElroy were charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life and criminal negligence causing death. They were found guilty in October, and each received a four-year prison sentence at the sentencing in the Edmonton Court.
When paramedics arrived, Simmons was unresponsive, suffering from hypothermia, covered in urine and feces, and had severe wounds. She died due to multi-organ failure caused by sepsis from infected pressure wounds, with hypothermia as a contributing factor. Evidence revealed the deplorable living conditions at the rural property and the severe neglect Simmons endured.
The couple had a legal duty to care for Simmons, as she relied on them for housing, transportation, and medical care. Medical evidence showed that timely intervention could have saved Simmons’ life. Despite some mitigating factors, such as no prior criminal record, the judge emphasized the preventable nature of Simmons’ death and the couple’s failure to provide proper care. The Crown’s recommendation of a four-year prison term was upheld by the judge, underscoring the importance of protecting and valuing seniors in society.