Elderly Woman Jailed Over Rent Payment Released Before 94th Birthday
The elderly Floridian woman was released from jail Thursday ahead of her 94th birthday days after her arrest video made waves online, according to reports. She only spent two days at the Lake County Jail before being freed.
Juanita Fitzgerald, 93, was arrested Tuesday on charges of trespassing after the management at her senior living facility evicted her for refusing to pay rent for three months. Fitzgerald's arrest caught the attention of many as footage of the incident surfaced online, even garnering support and offers of help in her benefit.
She is now making a motel room her temporary home until she finds a more permanent residence to stay in.
"I don't care if it's just one little room," Fitzgerald said to the Orlando Sentinel.
Eustis Police Department released body camera footage that showed Fitzgerald being forcibly taken into custody after trespassing at National Church Residences' Franklin House, her forming living facility prior to being evicted. Fitzgerald screamed and scratched at the officers, seemingly appearing to resist arrest. Officials also claimed that she had grabbed the officers and had even pulled off glasses from one of their faces, WTVJ reported.
Fitzgerald was eventually taken and placed in the back of a police car that was transported to the Lake County Jail. A police report claimed that she was "made well aware the day prior of her being evicted," according to WFTV.
"I paid my September rent and when she decided that she was going to put me out, she wouldn't take no rent after that," Fitzgerald said of her living home's management to WKMG. Fitzgerald allegedly informed staffers from her senior living residence that she had failed to pay rent because she was dying, however.
"I feel like everything was done that could possibly be done to help her," said Franklin House resident Terri Goldberg, according to WTSP. "I feel a lot of this was brought on herself."
Police in Eustis, Florida, released body cam footage showing senior Juanita Fitzgerald forcibly taken into custody for failing to heed an eviction notice after falling short on rent. "They wouldn't treat a murderer like they treated me," she told our affiliate WFTV Channel 9. pic.twitter.com/MZqVq4gB99
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) December 15, 2017
Fitzgerald was held in jail on a $500 bond. She wasn't required to pay the bond, but she is expected to appear in court Dec. 27.
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