The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A woman accused of hitting her mother with a belt when the 93-year-old accidentally urinated on the floor has been arrested and had her charges elevated after a video of the alleged incident went viral.
57-year-old Lottie Morgan is the caretaker for her 93-year-old mother in Baton Rouge.
On January 13, Morgan was apprehended by law enforcement for allegations that she had brutally beaten her elderly mother, in addition to abusing the woman verbally.
She was held at the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison for suspicion of cruelty to persons with infirmities and released after posting a $1,500 bond.
Morgan returned to the home with her mother after her release from jail since the judge did not decide there was a need for a protective order at that time.
Last Wednesday, Morgan’s son reportedly obtained a recording lasting approximately 25-seconds with the first 3-seconds displaying the back side of a woman that appears to be continuously whipping a screaming woman with a belt. The remaining 22 showing a black screen with audio of a woman angrily screaming at another person.
The reportedly concerned grandson of the alleged victim uploaded the footage to Twitter asking the community to help him by retweeting the content, reporting that his mother whipped his grandmother for wetting herself, and “the state needs to step in.”
The following day the prosecution filed to have second-degree battery added to the charges, and Morgan was housed in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Friday.
On January 27, a hearing is scheduled to take place to determine whether or not a bail amount should be issued for Morgan’s release, and the prosecutors have disclosed that they intend to show the video during the proceedings.
Morgan’s defense attorney said that the woman has post-traumatic stress disorder brought on by caring for several elderly relatives until their deaths, and must take several medications. Morgan has never been accused of harming another person in her care in the past.
Morgan’s mother has been moved out of the residence and to another location as a result of the allegations.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a domestic violence crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.