A 76-year-old man in Reggio Emilia, Italy, has been charged with killing his disabled cousin by feeding him a doughnut, despite knowing the 74-year-old could not swallow solid food because of a medical condition. The suspect, who is the victim's legal guardian, allegedly stood to inherit £250,000 from his cousin's estate.
Incident at Care Home
The victim, who suffered from progressive dysphagia, died from suffocation at the care home where he lived on June 27, according to Italian broadcaster Tgcom24. The Prosecutor's Office said the victim began having trouble breathing after ingesting a doughnut.
Despite the breathing difficulties, the suspect is said to have not alerted care home staff immediately. Instead, he brought the victim a canned drink from a vending machine to help wash the doughnut down. Only after giving him the drink did the suspect call staff, telling them his cousin was unwell, without mentioning that he had fed him solid food.
Investigation and Charges
Paramedics rushed to the care home, but the man died of cardiac arrest caused by choking. Nurses at the care home later called authorities after finding crumbs on the victim's clothing.
The Prosecutor's Office said there had been previous occasions when the suspect tried to give solid food to his cousin and had attempted to sneak treats into the care home. The suspect was also identified as one of the heirs to his cousin's assets and had allegedly tried to tamper with statements given by family members to police.
Legal Proceedings
The man has been charged with premeditation, abuse of duties in the role of a legal guardian, killing a disabled person, and impaired defence. He is currently under house arrest.
