Pennsylvania woman, 60, covered her stroke victim husband, 53, in cat litter because 'he was ruining the house' when he soiled himself after being unable to leave the couch due to rotting open sores and broken bones
Catherine Maijala, 60, has been charged with felony neglect of a care-dependent person involving her husband who was found by paramedics laying on the floor suffering from broken bones and bed sores
A Pennsylvania woman has been arrested on felony neglect charges after state police say she left her bed-bound husband to suffer inside their filthy home for weeks and covered him in cat litter when he soiled himself.
The case against Catherine Maijala, 60, began unfolding in September, when her husband, 53-year-old David Maijala, was brought by paramedics to a Carbondale-area hospital covered in his own urine and feces.
Maijala also suffered from broken bones and had a massive rotting sore on his back that a nurse described as so deep that it almost exposed his spine.
According to the Pennsylvania State Police, David had previously suffered a stroke and was dependent of his wife for care and other needs.
At the time of his hospitalization, David presented a letter from his wife, which explained that her husband was struck by an ATV on August 20 and had not sought medical attention for his injuries, reported WBRE.
Pennsylvania State Police said that David was taken to the hospital after paramedics were summoned to the couple's home for a report of a patient suffering from hip pain, and discovered the man laying on the floor covered in cat litter and a sheet.
David Maijalan, 53, was found inside this dilapidated Carbondale Township, Pennsylvania, home in September; he was covered in cat litter and his own waste
First responders described the home as being 'dilapidated and disarray,' with human feces and trash littering the premises.
Catherine reportedly explained to the paramedics that she covered her husband in cat litter because he was going to the bathroom on himself and was 'ruining the house,' according to the police.
Medics who treated the victim at the hospital told the state police that he came to them covered in bed sores and urine scalds, and was dehydrated and malnourished.
According to investigators, after being struck by the ATV in August, David returned home and laid down on the couch. At some point, he fell onto the floor, where he remained until paramedics found him wallowing in his own waste last month.
The 53-year-old man told police he was unable to call for help because he could not move and his cellphone was out of service.
According to the authorities, Catherine brought her husband food, water and pain medications, bur never called 911 for help because she claimed he was 'a hard person to deal with.'
Catherine allegedly had declined offers of help from Adult Protective Services.
She now faces a count of felony neglect of a care-dependent person and related charges.