Martha Jo Blake, 66-year-old caregiver accused of suffocating her 97-year-old mother, Patricia Blake at a West Palm Beach retirement residence after the daughter claiming a natural death only for an autopsy showing the mom had been strangled to death.
A 66-year-old caregiver in Florida is accused suffocating her 97-year-old mother at a Palm Beach home at an over 55 year old community living center.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the CrestHaven Villas retirement home on the 2800 block of Ashley Drive, West Palm Beach on Friday following the death of an elderly woman at the residence.
Upon arriving, the body of 97-year-old woman, Patricia Blake was found lying on her back with sheets covering her body. During the course of interviews with the woman’s 66-year-old daughter and caretaker, Martha Jo Blake, it was revealed that the dead woman had Parkinson’s disease and a thyroid disorder, suggesting a natural death. The caretaker went on to say she last saw her mother alive at 10 p.m, the evening before.
Autopsy revealed inconsistencies with claims of a ‘natural death’
But there was more to come. An autopsy revealed the elderly woman’s death was more consistent with a homicide. The medical examiner told deputies that Blake’s skin was a purplish color, especially on the nose, consistent with something being placed on the face. She also had eye hemorrhaging consistent with suffocation and a broken neck according to the arrest report.
A quarter-sized red mark was also found on the side of Patricia’s neck upon detectives reviewing bodycam video upon initially arriving at the residence and surveying the deceased woman.
During the commissioning of a search warrant at the residence, detectives came across the 66-year-old daughter who proceeded to tell officers that she was her mother’s primary caregiver for five years, and that around a year and a half ago, they had discussed ‘death with dignity’ with Patricia’s doctor in Maine.
Assisted suicide?
However, the doctor refused to carry out an assisted suicide because she didn’t have a terminal illness, according to the criminal probable cause affidavit. At one point, the duo had discussed suicide by pills, only to discard the idea because they didn’t have anything that was lethal that she could take.
The search warrant uncovered a pair of white calf-length socks in a shopping bag within a garbage bag on the front porch, which detectives took for evidence.
Based on the investigation, deputies say they found probable cause to book Martha Jo Blake on a charge of first-degree murder.
Blake’s next court appearance is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Jan. 27, and the initial case conference is set for 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 27.
