HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that a Northampton County woman has been charged with neglecting a care-dependent woman under her care, which ultimately led to the victim’s death.
Susan Edwards, 59, of Pen Argyl, was recently arrested and charged with two felony counts of neglect of a care-dependent person, causing serious bodily injury or death and endangering the welfare of a care-dependent person. Her bail was set at $50,000 unsecured. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 19.
The victim, a 51-year-old woman with Down Syndrome, was found dead on Oct. 15, 2023, inside Edwards’ home. According to an investigation by the Office of Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Section, Edwards left the woman in the care of another resident with an intellectual or developmental disability on the day she passed away.
The victim died from septic complications from untreated pressure ulcers. A wound care expert concluded the wounds were present for more than four weeks and would have been noticeable to the caregiver.
“Every Pennsylvanian deserves to be treated with dignity and receive the care they need — and this case involves a blatant neglect of care that led to death,” Attorney General Sunday said. “My office will continue to take very seriously our mission to protect our most vulnerable citizens.”
Edwards was a Lifesharing provider through Access Services providing care for the victim. Lifesharing providers offer care for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities in the provider’s home. Edwards was responsible for assisting the victim with activities of daily living, including meal preparation, hygiene, medical assistance, and transportation to medical appointments. Edwards was also required to monitor the victim’s health and report any significant changes in her condition to Access.
Edwards failed to notify Access Services that she was unable to provide care for the victim, so arrangements could be made for an alternate caregiver. Investigators also determined that multiple medical appointments were canceled or delayed as the victim’s condition worsened.
During an interview with agents, Edwards admitted she had been aware of the wounds for several weeks and attempted to treat them herself rather than seek medical care.
This case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Christopher R. Sherwood. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The Pennsylvania Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $13,491,632 for federal fiscal year (FY) 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $4,497,207 for FY 2026, is funded by Pennsylvania.
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