PARKER — Police have arrested a man in connection with the death of his mother, whose badly decomposed body was found in her home more than a year ago, according to police.
Herbert Todd Atkinson, 43, was wanted on several charges before he was extradited to Bay County on Tuesday and charged with aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person, according to a news release from the Parker Police Department.
Police discovered the decaying body of Atkinson’s mother April 30, 2014, at 5024 Hickory St.. She had been dead for several months by that time, and Atkinson already had fled the home they shared, police reported.
Atkinson, caregiver of 73-year-old Ramona Atkinson, allegedly took his disabled mother’s wheelchair with him when he abandoned her, according to Parker Police Chief Dennes Hutto.
“She had to drag herself through feces, urine and whatever else to get to the bathroom from the living room,” he said. “Unfortunately, that’s how he took care of her. And because of that, it resulted in her death.”
Herbert Atkinson was in jail in Dothan, Alabama, jail since the discovery of the body April 30, 2014. Police believe Ramona Atkinson and he argued over money, which he allegedly needed to support his drug habit, before he left the state with his mother’s financial information.
According to Parker Police, officers recovered a badly decomposed body of Ramona Atkinson and that of her deceased dog in their Hickory Street home.
During the investigation, police learned Herbert Atkinson was missing. Police also learned Ramona Atkinson’s vehicle and several credit or debit cards were missing along with him, police reported.
After learning Ramona Atkinson’s bank accounts had been drained, her Social Security and retirement checks had been cashed and pieces of her jewelry had been pawned, police tracked Herbert Atkinson to Dothan.
Houston County narcotics investigators already had arrested him on drug charges there while in his mother’s vehicle, authorities reported.
Parker Police issued several arrest warrants to have Herbert Atkinson extradited to Bay County. On Tuesday, they filed the final charge of aggravated manslaughter when he arrived.
Herbert Atkinson also was charged with abuse of the elderly, exploitation of the elderly, three counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, three counts of criminal use of personal information, grand theft, eight counts of dealing in stolen property and eight counts of false verification to a pawn broker.
He also has been charged with felony animal abuse.