Prosecutor: Man spent neglected mother's money

A Whitestown man charged with letting his mother wither away until she died earlier this year appeared in Oneida County Court this morning.

A long, scraggly beard hung from 61-year-old David E. Auchmoody's face as he took a series of slow, shuffling steps into Judge Barry M. Donalty's courtroom.

Auchmoody was arrested Thursday on felony charges of second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and first-degree endangering the welfare of an elderly woman.

Oneida County sheriff's investigators believe that Auchmoody neglected to care for his 89-year-old mother, Edith Auchmoody, at their shared 5589 Judd Rd. residence in Whitesboro until she died around Feb. 22.

Autopsy results indicate Edith Auchmoody had wasted away to about 50 lbs. until she died from a bacterial bone infection and emaciation, investigators said.

David Auchmoody then cleaned up his mother's body and moved her to his attached living area, investigators said. David Auchmoody later tried to tell investigators that his mother died in her sleep while she was watching TV with him the night before.

Friday's court proceeding was very brief, and Auchmoody said he expected to have an attorney to represent him for official arraignment on Monday.

After the proceeding, prosecutor Assistant District Attorney Kurt Hameline shed more lot on the circumstances surrounding Edith Auchmoody's death.

"He was reckless in the care he was giving his mother," Hameline said. "That is one of the worst cases of neglect, abuse, or whatever you want to call it, I've seen."

Edith Auchmoody's bones had rotted away, Hameline said, and the elderly woman likely suffered "excruciating, unbelievable pain" before she fell into a fatal coma.

"Basically, he let her die," Hameline said.

David Auchmoody did have access to his mother's bank account as her primary caretaker, Hameline said.

David Auchmoody declared chapter 7 bankruptcy roughly a year before his mother's death, and Edith Auchmoody's account was closed the day before she died, Hameline said.

David Auchmoody cashed checks for about $3,000 to $4,000 every month in "household expenses," and the checks appeared to be signed by Edith Auchmoody to her son, Hameline said.

"What he actually did with the money, I don't know," Hameline said.

While investigators described Edith Auchmoody's home as being overwhelmed with trash, filth, cobwebs, and rodent activity, David Auchmoody's living area appeared more tidy and in order, they said. He also had a large flat screen TV.

Regardless of what the money was spent on, Hameline explained that Edith Auchmoody was not being fed to the extent that she needed in order to survive.

However, a number of cat food cans were found within her residence, Hameline said.

"The cat or cats were probably more well-fed than she was," he said.