West Virginia woman charged with neglect following husband's death

Margaret Rogge, a 75-year-old resident of West Virginia, was arrested on Tuesday on charges of abuse or neglect of an incapacitated adult. The charges stem from an incident on August 20, when she allegedly left her 76-year-old husband, who suffered from dementia, Alzheimer’s, and severe vision loss, on the toilet for approximately 19 hours.

According to the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office, the man went to the restroom at 3:00 p.m., but his wife was unable to help him up. Investigators report that instead of seeking assistance, she left him unattended overnight without food, water, or his prescribed medication, even though she could reportedly hear him groaning in pain. The man was discovered the following morning at 10:00 a.m. by a speech therapist who arrived for a scheduled home visit. He passed away ten days after the incident, and authorities believe the period of neglect significantly contributed to his death.