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Pasco Co. murder case involves caregiver fatigue
A Pasco County woman allegedly suffocated her boyfriend who was suffering from terminal cancer. The case is putting a spotlight on caregiver burnout.
PASCO COUNTY, Fla. - A Pasco County woman was arrested this week and accused of smothering to death her long-time live-in boyfriend, who was battling a terminal illness.
Pasco County Sheriff's Office deputies said Margaret Kearney, 69, had been caring for her 72-year-old boyfriend, who was suffering from terminal cancer. According to investigators, however, on December 20, Kearney used a pillow to suffocate the man.
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According to court documents, Kearney went to sleep after attempting to make it look like her boyfriend had died in his sleep; she then waited for a hospice worker to find him the next day.
"On December 21st, the Pasco Sheriff's Office responded to a death investigation in the New Port Richey area. From what it appeared at that time, a terminally ill adult male had passed away," said Amanda Hunter, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office. "Later on in the day, we were alerted to some concerning statements made by that individual's long-term partner, which alerted us to investigate a little bit further."
The arrest affidavit reveals Kearney told a friend what she had done, and that friend notified deputies, who initially hadn't believed the death was suspicious.
Investigators said Kearney eventually admitted she put a pillow over her boyfriend's face and lay down next to him for five minutes, waiting for him to pass away. Deputies charged her with first-degree murder.
While it's unclear what was going through Kearney's mind, the case does put a spotlight on families who may need help caring for terminally ill loved ones.
"I think that a lot of family caregivers will get to a point of burnout where they're just not taking care of themselves, and they're just getting so burned out they almost can't think clearly about their situation," said Katie Williams, the director of advocacy services for Aging Care Advocates in Tampa.
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Williams said there are several options for caregivers, including hospice, in-home care, assisted living facilities, and caregiver support groups, along with state- and county-operated services.
Grants and financial assistance can be available to lower-income families.
"The best thing to do is to reach out for help, to reach out to the professionals in your community, but also reach out to your friends, reach out to your family members because there are a lot of people who have gone through difficult situations and [can help] trying to look for resources collectively that people have gathered," said Williams, adding preparation is often key.
"I think it doesn't hurt to think ahead of time before you're in a crisis with, what are my area resources? What is the number to my area agency on aging? Because they do have that elder helpline, and they will connect you with any resource they can think of that will fit your situation."
Williams said caregivers should also make sure they're focusing on their own health as well. If the situation gets too stressful, respite care, a form of temporary caregiver relief, can be an option.
"It's about providing relief for a caregiver," she said. "It could be funded a lot of different ways, whether hospice provides it or whether it's funded by a grant from an agency, or it's funded by family paying for it, or a group paying for it. But it could be a private caregiver that's coming into the home. It could be the person staying in a certain assisted living facility for a few weeks, or going to a nursing skilled nursing facility for a few weeks. It's meant to provide relief to a caregiver at a time they really need relief."