Guilty plea possible in Aurora elderly neglect case

One of a trio of Aurora siblings accused of neglecting their elderly mother, who was found living in squalor in October 2011 and had to have part of a leg amputated, could plead guilty in the case.

The defense attorney for Alan Roberson, 55, of the 1100 block of North Randall Road, recently had a Kane County judge appoint an investigator to find mitigating evidence and witnesses for his client.

Usually, when a defendant is sentenced, the state highlights aggravating factors and the defense focuses on mitigation.

Defense attorney Ronald Dolak declined to go into specifics of what the investigator was looking for, but noted his client could enter a blind plea, in which a defendant admits guilt without an agreement with prosecutors on a sentenced and instead lets a judge decide.

“That's the potential, but I can't say for sure. That's (Alan's) decision,” Dolak said Thursday. “There's a potential for a plea in this, but not (at) what (sentence) the state's offering.”

Prosecutors have said the trio depended on their mother's Social Security check for rent and opted not to institutionalize the woman, who was 77 when the neglect occurred.

The trio were arrested last October and are accused of neglect dating back to June 2011.

Prosecutors have said Martha Roberson, was confined to a love seat and also had scabies, gangrene, bedsores, large open wounds and maggots crawling on her. Her right leg had to be amputated below the knee because of gangrene.

Connie Roberson, 51, and Kevin Roberson, 42, both of the 1100 block of North Randall Road, are due in court on April 4 and April 13, respectively.

Alan Roberson is next due in court on April 5. Dolak didn't know if the investigator would have a report completed by then.

The felony neglect charges carry up to a 10-year prison term, but probation also is an option.