3 Colorado Caregivers Charged In Death Of Elderly Woman Left Outside In Heat For Hours

Three assisted living caregivers in Colorado were charged Tuesday in the death of an 86-year-old woman, who was allegedly left out in the heat for six hours.

Jamie Johnston, 30, Jenny Logan, 50, and Letticia Martinez, 27, were charged with the negligent death of an at-risk person and criminally negligent homicide, both felonies, New York Daily News reported, citing a press release by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser.

The deceased, identified as Hazel Place, was under the care of the Cappella Assisted Living and Memory in Grand Junction. She reportedly had Alzheimer's disease, and therefore was highly vulnerable, WFMZ-TV reported, citing Associated Press.

The death occurred on June 14 when the temperature in Colorado had reportedly hit 102 degrees. "Our internal investigation resulted in the dismissal of two team members, who were subsequently charged by the Colorado Attorney General. The third team member is now on investigatory leave," the care facility said in a statement, NBC-affiliated KKCO11 reported. "We are very saddened by the passing of this beloved resident, and we continue to send our sincerest sympathy to this resident’s family and friends."

Place is survived by three children, their spouses, grand and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, New York Daily News reported.

The incident reportedly came to light when the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Colorado Department of Law and the Grand Junction Police Department were investigating a matter of a patient record being forged. Johnston and Martinez were each facing an additional charge for misdemeanor second-degree forgery, Weiser said in the news release, according to New York Daily News.

Place's daughter, Donna Golden, told The Daily Sentinel the former could walk, but did that on a routine known to the caregivers. Golden said Place required to be checked on every hour because she was at the risk of falling. "What it boils down to, as the caregivers that day and probably on other days, none of them were doing their job. Not one of them checked her," Golden told the publication.

"When our loved ones are vulnerable and in need of care, Colorado residents should be able to trust their caregivers implicitly," Weiser told the Daily Sentinel. "My department is committed to holding accountable those who take advantage of and cause harm to our state’s older residents."