Suspects Sentenced for Elder Cruelty and Exploitation

Suspects Sentenced for Elder Cruelty and Exploitation

Posted: Feb 20, 2014 5:21 PM CST Updated: Feb 20, 2014 5:39 PM CST

By Shameca Kelley - email

 

Michael Nesmith, 52, sentenced to 20 years with 8 to serve.

 

Mary Wiggins, 48, sentenced to 20 years with 6 years to serve.

SAVANNAH, GA - A Chatham County Superior Court Judge has sentenced a Garden City woman and man for cruelty and exploitation of the woman's 68-year-old mother.
Mary Daphne Wiggins, 48, and Michael Victor Nesmith, 52, deprived Wiggins' mother, Caroline Louise Thomas, of access to food and water and withheld her medications between June 1 and June 26, 2012, according to ADA and Elder Abuse Prosecutor Shalena Cook Jones.

During that time Wiggins and Nesmith are also accused of removing the window air conditioning window-unit and boarding up the windows to the room where Thomas spent most of her time. In addition, they routinely spent Thomas' Social Security Checks, said Jones.
Garden City Police were alerted to the situation after EMS was called to the Dean Forest Road home to provide medical assistance to Thomas and she detailed her abuse.
On February 8,  a jury found Wiggins and Nesmith guilty of cruelty to a person 65 year of age or older and exploitation of an elderly person.
Wednesday Wiggins was sentenced to 20 years with 6 to serve for cruelty to a person 65 years of age or older, with an additional 5 years to serve concurrently for exploitation of an elderly person. Nesmith was sentenced to 20 years with 8 to serve for cruelty to a person 65 years of age or older, with an additional 5 years to serve concurrently for exploitation of an elderly person.