Man charged with mistreating mother

Fri., March 23, 2007

By Amy Cannata amyc@spokesman.com

An 82-year-old woman is recovering at Deaconess Medical Center after Spokane police removed her Tuesday evening from the squalid living conditions provided by her son.

David Remington (also known as David Nagy), 52, has been charged with first-degree criminal mistreatment for keeping his malnourished and dehydrated mother confined to a bed soaked with her own urine.

Police responded to the pair’s apartment at 2820 W. Seventh Ave. after an Adult Protective Services worker reported Peggy Nagy’s poor condition.

According to a police report on the case, the worker said that Remington propped his mother up at the door of the apartment during a visit to check on her. She was unable to stand on her own and appeared to be in poor condition. He reportedly observed what appeared to be blood dripping from her onto the floor.

Concerned for Nagy’s well-being, he called police, the report said.

Officer Tim Moses said Thursday that Remington refused to let him and another police officer into the apartment, but fearing that the woman was seriously injured they forced their way inside.

What they found was shocking, said Moses, who described Nagy as being “on the brink of death.”

“This is probably one of the worst cases I’ve ever seen,” he said. “This was definitely a total disregard for her physical well-being.”

In addition to seeing Nagy malnourished and dehydrated, Moses said, he also observed a bucket by the side of the bed filled with urine. Nagy had been defecating in a cardboard box also at the bedside.

“The seriousness of it really hit when a paramedic told me that if we didn’t take her to the hospital, we’d be coming back because of a cardiac arrest,” Moses said.

He added that it was apparent that Remington knew he was doing something wrong because he tried to block police from seeing his mother.

Through the ordeal, Nagy insisted she didn’t want to be taken to the hospital.

“She was concerned that her son was going to get in trouble,” said Moses.

Remington was originally booked into jail on charges of second-degree criminal mistreatment, but that was upgraded to first-degree criminal mistreatment when the extent of Nagy’s poor condition was revealed at the hospital, said Spokane Police Officer Jennifer DeRuwe.

Moses said that Nagy’s condition has improved since she was admitted.

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