Greenwood woman faces neglect charges involving disabled man

GREENWOOD, Ind. (AP) - A central Indiana woman is accused of locking a disabled, elderly man in a room for two years and denying him food and medicine.

Greenwood police arrested 69-year-old Darlene K. Dickinson on Tuesday. She faces felony neglect charges.

Court documents say an investigation began May 19, when a neighbor contacted authorities to check on the welfare of a man stumbling on the front porch of a home. The neighbor says she saw the man covered in feces when she went to help him.

Investigators discovered the elderly man had survived a stroke in 2000 and used a wheelchair after having his leg amputated three years ago. According to police, the man was found in poor health and was extremely thin.

The man told detectives Dickinson had shut him in a "filthy" room for the past two years and only gave him one meal and one warm Pepsi a day. The man also told detectives that he had not received any of his prescription medication during the two years he was kept in the room.

Court documents said most of the residence was clean, but the man's room was covered in spoiled food, garbage and feces.

Online court records in Johnson County didn't list an attorney who could comment on Dickinson's behalf.

According to court documents, the man is now living with his son and daughter.