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Elderly Woman Dies
After Nursing Home Beating
Murder or Accident?
Prosecutor Says, Maybe Neither
WTOV9.com
September 1, 2004
According to police reports, early Sunday morning, Charles Stocke, aged in his 80s, beat up his wife Betty, also aged 80+, in their room at the Park Health Center nursing home. Betty died later that day, and the Belmont County Coroner cites "blunt force trauma to the head" as the cause of death. But the cause of death and manner of death are two very separate things, and County Prosecutor Frank Pierce says his investigation into this will likely be a long one.
NEWS 9 spoke with some people outside the Park Health Center who say they're friends of the Stocke family. They describe Charles as a gentle man with no history of a bad temper. But they also believe he has Alzheimer's Disease.
The St. Clairsville Police report says Charles became combative with Park Health staffers on Sunday, and had to be restrained by officers. Because of HIPPA, the federal agency that protects privacy of medical patients, NEWS 9 could not confirm this with County leaders. But Pierce tells us Charles has been moved into another facility, and County Commissioner Mark Thomas says there will be no changes in security at Park Health, even in the wake of this: "We are absolutely, 100% confident that the Park Health Center is safe," says Thomas.
The people we spoke with seem to agree--they believe the center is very safe. Said one woman, "If I didn't, would my mother be here?"
St. Clairsville Police and Pierce's office are investigating Betty Stocke's death. Pierce had not filed any charges in the case as of Wednesday. Stick with NEWS 9 for continuing coverage.
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