Lisle woman makes plea deal in mom's neglect case

A Lisle woman accused of waiting more than four hours to call for help after her elderly mother fell down a flight of stairs was sentenced Monday to probation and public service.

Bette Fingleton, 61, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery in an agreement with DuPage County prosecutors. As a result, two felony counts of criminal neglect of an elderly person were dismissed.

Fingleton was indicted in May 2009 after an investigation into the death of her mother, 93-year-old Alberta Fingleton, on July 10, 2007.

According to court records, Bette Fingleton was accused of failing to seek help for more than four hours after her mother broke both legs falling down a flight of stairs in their home on the 600 block of Crest Lane.

Fingleton's attorney, Jay Fuller, said his client also was injured in the fall and didn't realize her mother was seriously hurt. He said she was physically unable to assist her mother herself, and was waiting for her to regain strength.

She eventually summoned a nephew for help, Fuller said.

“What she did was reasonable given the circumstances,” he said. “The mother did not show signs of distress at the time, and Bette was not strong enough to pick her up.”

Fuller said Fingleton wanted to take the case to trial, but opted for a plea bargain to avoid the possibility of a felony conviction that could jeopardize her social security.

According to the agreement, Fingleton must serve two years of probation and complete 200 hours of public service. Prosecutors said she had no prior criminal history.