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Man's Months-Long Neglect Led To Western Mass Mother's Agonizing Death, DA Says

A Hampden County man has been charged with a "galling" crime after he left his ill mother in a bed for months without moving her, causing severe infections and illness that led to her death, authorities said. 

David Reed

David Reed

Photo Credit: Hampden District Attorney

David Reed, 59, of Southwick, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, a caretaker permitting serious bodily injury to an elderly or disabled person, abuse/neglect/mistreatment to an elderly or disabled person, the Hampden County District Attorney said. He was arraigned last week and was being held on a $25,000 bail.

David Reed is accused of causing the death of his 79-year-old mother Karen Reed. 

Southwick police were called to a home at 83 Klaus Road in November 2022 to reports of a woman suffering a medical emergency. When they arrived, they found an elderly woman "suffering from an extreme case of neglect," the prosecutor said. 

By all indications it appears she had not been moved from her bed in many months and was suffering from severe wounds and infection associated with the lack of movement and appropriate sanitary conditions.

Paramedics rushed her to Noble Hospital in Westfield to try and stabilize her condition. They then moved her to Baystate Medical Center, where she passed away the following day.

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