Woman Dies from Neglect, Son Faces Murder Charges
Christopher Mukdsi
In one of the worst neglect cases recently seen, Christopher Mukdsi faces felony murder charges. The neglect was so rampant that officials likened it to "living in a death camp" and it led to the death of Katherine Mukdsi in the June 2008.
Mrs. Mukdsi was found dead in her wheelchair on the front porch of her home in Flint Township, Michigan after her son called 911 to report her death. She had not moved from her couch in eight months prior to her death, but her son carried her outside to wash her down with a garden hose and placed her in a clean nightgown. He then wrapped his mother in a blanket and placed her in a wheelchair on the front port before emergency medical personnel arrived at her home. Her blanket was so caked in urine and feces that it still held the shape of her body when it was removed. She had not bathed in one year and was only allowed to urinate into a coffee cup and defecate into pizza boxes, some of which were still in the house. The 73 year old woman looked like she was 103 years old and had dwindled to just 63 pounds at her death. She was suffering from sepsis caused by feces that had entered into the open sores on her body. Police suspect that Mukdsi placed Mrs. Mukdsi on the front porch hoping that police would not enter the house. Trash was everywhere in the house and empty soda bottles were on tables and the floor. It looked as if trash had not been taken out in months.
An autopsy found sepsis, malnutrition, dehydration, complicating immobility and bed sore ulcers on Mrs. Mukdsi's body. She suffered from malnutrition, dehydration, and bed sores so severe that the skin and tendon were gone and her bone was exposed.
Katherine Mukdsi's son, Christopher Mukdsi, was her caregiver. He had lived with his parents off and on his entire life, but moved in permanently with his mother after his father's death in 2002. He had not worked in 10 years and was living off of his mother's Social Security check, a pension, and a monthly investment check. He spent six days in jail this month on a drug charge after police found cocaine on him while questioning him about his mother's death.
Christopher Mukdsi faces a possibility of life in prison if convicted of the murder charge and an additional four years if convicted of the additional charge of second degree abuse of a vulnerable adult. He was denied bond and remains in jail.
