A man who left his 73-year-old mother lying on the floor of her Sandy home for three days in her own urine and feces has been sentenced to probation.
Anthony Leichtle, 49, was sentenced last week by 3rd District Judge L. Douglas Hogan, who suspended a potential zero-to-five-year prison term in favor of 36 months probation, which includes obtaining a mental health evaluation and any recommended treatment, and staying away from his mother.
Leichtle was granted credit for 55 days of jail time he already had served.
Prosecutor Roger Blaylock had asked for an additional 95 days of jail time.
But defense attorney Heather Chesnut told The Salt Lake Tribune on Wednesday that she argued Leichtle had been compliant during a month-long release from jail prior to sentencing, which was overseen by Valley Behavioral Health officials.
Chesnut said she also noted that Leichtle had successfully completed probation in the past.
Leichtle pleaded guilty last month to third-degree felony aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult. He also pleaded guilty to a class A misdemeanor for violating a 2011 protective order prohibiting him from contact with his mother.
Charging documents say that the victim was released from a rehabilitation facility on March 4 and returned to her Sandy home, where Leichtle was living and was her caretaker.
Three days later, a nurse came to the home and found the woman lying on the floor.
Leichtle told the nurse he had given his mother a pillow and a blanket because he was unable to get her up off the floor, charges state. He added that he was unable to take care of his mother because she was too sick.
The woman told police that during the three days that she was on the floor, she did not remember eating or using the bathroom.
She was taken to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with skin ulcers, a urinary tract infection and a kidney injury requiring IV fluids, charges state. An update on the woman’s condition was not available Wednesday.
Police also discovered that in January, Leichtle had taken out a $299.71 loan in his mother’s name at an interest rate of 469.29 percent, requiring 12 payments of $118.91, for a total of $1,546.23, charges state.
Leichtle’s mother did not know about or authorize the loan, according to charges, which say Leichtle had secured power of attorney on behalf of his mother, despite the protective order.
Leichtle was initially charged with second-degree felony aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult, third-degree felony exploitation of a vulnerable adult and class A misdemeanor violation of a protective order.
