An Augusta woman facing charges for allegedly cashing her father’s Social Security checks as he wasted away, losing 100 pounds in just a few months, and developed pressure ulcers that exposed bone pleaded not guilty to neglect and exploitation Friday, March 25.
Dianna Laws, 38, faces charges of neglect of an elderly adult and exploitation of an elderly adult in Richmond County Superior Court. She was indicted earlier this month in connection with the Dec. 5, 2021 death of her disabled father, 62-year-old Bobby Laws.
The medical examiner has not yet released a cause of death for Laws, said Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen on Friday.
Laws was discharged from a hospital last summer and allegedly lived with his daughter until he was taken to the Augusta University Medical Center emergency room in December.
According to prior reports in The Augusta Press and court documents, Laws had electrical tape wrapped around his legs when he was admitted to the hospital. He had multiple wounds infested with maggots. The bed sores on his hips and heels were so infected the fleshed was eaten away exposing bone. He weighed 66 pounds.
According to the indictment, Laws developed pressure sores because he was left in a fetal position in a confined space.
The March 8 indictment does not address the cause of Laws’ death or what if any role the medical and physical neglect he allegedly suffered might have led to his death.
Dianna Laws has been held without bond since her arrest Dec. 10.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
