PANAMA CITY — A local couple has been arrested on charges of neglecting an elderly person after officers discovered the deceased body of one suspect’s mother covered with several bedsores, according to Bay County Sheriff’s Office arrest reports.
William Craig Erickson, 56, and Candace Rae Erickson, 53, were arrested Wednesday at their home of 119 Sims Ave. after officers responded for a medical emergency. Medical personnel pronounced Diane Lee Silda, mother of Candace Erickson, died from natural causes. However, investigators said her daughter and son-in-law neglected several bedsores on the disabled 75-year-old Silda that went without medical treatment for an undetermined amount of time before her death, officers reported.
Neither of the numbers listed for the Ericksons were receiving calls or voice mail messages Thursday evening. The couple was released earlier Thursday on pretrial release under charges of neglecting an elderly or disabled adult.
While taking basic overall photographs of Silda’s bedroom, officers “observed a pungent odor in the room unlike that of other deceased person cases” and began to question the Ericksons. Investigators found bedsores on areas of Silda’s back and feet; the severity of each varied. However, officers said a few were of “significant depth to where muscle tissue was observed.”
The couple told investigators they had been treating the wounds with peroxide but had not spoken with a medical professional about the issue, BCSO said. Officers reported Silda was unable to walk, suffered from Alzheimer’s, and the Ericksons must have known about the severity of the wounds yet did not seek medical assistance for what seemed to be painful injuries.
“Having observed the injuries being quite severe in nature and the explanation to me that the injury would be painful, it shows a great bodily harm,” officers wrote. “Since Diane was not given proper treatment … it is believed their failure to provide appropriate medical treatment would be negligent and causing great bodily harm."
Candace and William Erickson were charged with neglect of an elderly disabled person causing great bodily harm. Their arraignments were scheduled for June 2.