Audrey Engler, a 25-year-old caregiver in Iowa, received a sentence of up to 10 years in prison for intentionally abusing an elderly hospice patient who died in her care. The Burlington woman had pleaded guilty to dependent adult abuse resulting in serious injury. Court records show she neglected the patient's basic needs, leading to severe health decline.
Audrey Engler was sentenced to serve no more than 10 years at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women, with credit for time already served in jail at the Des Moines County Correctional Center in Burlington, Iowa. Des Moines County court records confirm the ruling following her guilty plea in February to intentional dependent adult abuse resulting in serious injury. She had been charged and jailed in December 2025 related to the death of her client on August 14, 2025. Burlington Police began investigating the next day after the patient's passing. The elderly woman, who had been hospitalized after her mattress caught fire on July 21, 2025, was placed in hospice care and assigned to Engler through Vibrance Homecare, which she paid for services. The patient covered rent and bills but told her case manager to buy her clothing because her funds were going to Engler. Investigators found the apartment in disarray, with 'stuff all over the ground' leaving no space to sit or stand. The woman suffered burns on her back, ulcers on her buttocks, bed sores, a full catheter bag, and at times sat in feces. She grew 'skinnier and skinnier,' received no medication, and Engler only moved her 'one time a day,' Engler admitted. Engler had urged nurses to cut visits, claiming the patient was 'adequately' cared for, and often ignored texts for hours. Speaking to detectives, Engler said she 'could have taken care of the dependent adult better and could have checked on her more and could have had more compassion for her.' The court suspended a $1,500 fine due to her financial situation.
