A 76-year-old man has been arrested in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on suspicion of causing the death of his disabled cousin, a 74-year-old man who had progressive dysphagia, a condition that made swallowing solid food impossible. The suspect, who was the legal guardian of the victim, allegedly fed his cousin a doughnut, knowing it was lethal for him.
The victim died on June 27 from suffocation after experiencing severe breathing problems subsequent to ingesting the doughnut. According to the Prosecutor's Office, the suspect did not immediately alert care home staff. Instead, he purchased a canned drink from a vending machine to help his cousin wash down the food. He then called nurses to report his cousin was unwell but omitted the detail about feeding him a solid treat. Paramedics were called, but the victim died of cardiac arrest caused by choking.
Nurses at the care home reported the incident after discovering crumbs on the victim's clothing. Investigators believe this was not the first instance of the suspect attempting to feed his cousin solid food, noting previous efforts to sneak treats into the facility. The suspect is also alleged to be one of the heirs to his cousin's assets, valued at over £250,000, and is suspected of attempting to tamper with statements from family members to the police.
The charges against the man include premeditation, abuse of duties as a legal guardian, killing a disabled person, and impaired defense. He is currently under house arrest.
This case comes shortly after separate incidents in Australia involving alleged poisoning attempts, including a woman charged with poisoning her girlfriend's curry with snail pellets and another case where a woman was jailed for murdering relatives with poisonous mushrooms.