A 71-year-old Kansas woman has been sentenced to 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to mistreating and neglecting her 94-year-old mother, who died following prolonged abuse. Linda Oeding prevented family access to Betty Oeding and rejected immediate medical aid when her mother became unresponsive. The case highlights severe elder neglect in rural Spivey.
Linda Oeding pleaded guilty in January to two counts of mistreatment of an elder person, according to the Kansas Attorney General's Office. Earlier this month, a judge imposed 32 months for the abuse count and eight months for neglect, to be served consecutively. The incidents occurred in the family's home in Spivey, a small town 50 miles southwest of Wichita, where Oeding acted as her mother's sole caregiver and blocked other relatives from visiting or checking on her as she deteriorated, court records show. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach stated, 'Elders in Kansas deserve dignity, respect, and protection — especially from those entrusted with their care. My office will continue to hold accountable anyone who abuses or neglects vulnerable Kansans.'