Latest Headlines
- ECFR Says Mobile Home Fire Was Sparked By Trash Fire; Firefighters Respond To Ascend
- Few Showers Today; Rainy Pattern Beginning Friday
- First Responders Put On Christmas Light Show For Children’s Hospital Patients (With Gallery)
- Santa And Mrs. Claus Take Last Minute Trip Through Century, Byrneville
- ‘Shop With A Cop’ Brings Holiday Cheer to Local Children
- Ice Flyers Create Special Moment In ‘My Wish’ Day for Young Boy
- George Stone Students Fabricate Unique Christmas Tree
- House Ethics Releases Scathing Report On Matt Gaetz
- Photos: Christmas Activities At Jim Allen Elementary
- Here’s The Christmas Closure And Trash Schedule You Need To Know
Woman Charged With Manslaughter For Her Mother’s Death
September 7, 2013
An Escambia County woman has been arrested because investigators said she is responsible for the death of the elderly mother.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies said 95-year old Florence Rucker was found unconscious and severely neglected at a home on Amber Street back in May.
Florence’s daughter, 60-year old Kathy Rucker, was arrested for aggravated manslaughter after an investigation. Deputies say Florence Rucker had several large, open sores on her body when she was found.
Investigators say Kathy Rucker lived with her mother and was her primary caregiver. She told deputies she called 911 because her mother had been unresponsive and unable to drink any fluids. When paramedics arrived they say Florence Rucker was lying on the floor of the living room, which was in complete disarray and strewn with garbage.
Florence Rucker was taken to the hospital as a trauma alert. She died a few days later. Kathy Rucker says her mother had fallen down in the living room about two weeks before she called EMS, and that she had been unable to get her up off the floor. She told deputies her mother had been talking to her during that time so she didn’t feel the need to call for help.
Kathy Rucker remains in the Escambia County County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
Comments
17 Responses to “Woman Charged With Manslaughter For Her Mother’s Death”
This story saddens me. My grandmother was forced to go to a nursing home, which wasn’t the best. She begged her kids for many years not to put her there. She wanted to stay at home. The day that my aunt put her in the nursing home, was the day she died. She died of a broken heart, and my heart was shattered. My aunt could have taken care of her, but decided not to. Years later, I now work in a nursing home for the last few years. Its a very wonderful place for the elderly to be taken care of. I look at every resident, as them being my grandparents. I take great pride of taking care of them. I love seeing the smiles on their faces for the respect that I give them. I feel like I lose a loved one when a resident passes on. It has brought me many tears of sadness to lose somebody, but they have also gave me plenty of smiles and joy. I treat every resident, the way I would want to be treated if I was living there. My heart goes out to this special grandmother. She is now living in a beautiful place with the Lord.
Her atrocities committed towards her mother and others will not go unnoticed. She will have to stand in front of the highest court known.
This woman deserves only the BEST!! TORTURE. Let’s pray the system will punish her. For the Hell, that she put her Mother through. I am the care giver for my Mother who is 84 and bed ridden. She had a stroke and has been this way for 21 months, with numerous other health issues. Had surgeries and been in and out of hospital & nursing homes. She requires feeding, bathing and total care as if she was a baby. She is so special to me, she birthed me and took care of me for years. Now, it’s my turn. There are days I am totally worn out, I work full time, have a family of my own and still manage to do anything that is needed for my Mom. I feel there are days, I can’t make it anymore. But when, I see her smile at me, it’s all worth it.. There will be a day that God takes her, and I want to be able to say, I did my best. And I have no regrets…
If her mother had fallen on her own, she would have had no reason not to call for help. I would have trouble believing anything she said. It’s a pity that the mother didn’t have a home health nurse to check in on her.
I can only hope that someone treats the daughter like she treated her mother. She should be horse whipped.
@ Curious I was going to make the same comment—but you beat me to it. I at one point was looking for someone to help as a care giver for a family member and this woman’s name came up. Several people who knew her said to not use her due to her lack of care for the person she was supposed to be sitting with and also she smelled as if she never took a bath. I’m like several others who have commented— I wish I still had my folks to help with.
I wonder if people that know her and seen the filth and horrific way she treated and cared for her mother reported her? She probably only kept her mother with her instead of a nursing home for her check from ssi, retirement our disability and any food stamps or government hand out she received if she had taken her for medical help the mother would probably have begged to be put in a home and told how she was being treated she wouldn’t risk getting in trouble our losing that check. DISGUSTING.
There is a special place in Hell for people like her. That poor mother. I adored my mother and would give anything to have her with us again and then you have women like this..disgusting!
@Caral, you knew her in the past. You know what I said is true, this person is unbelievable. I too wish I had my Mother back to take care of. I could never have let my Mother lay on the floor for two weeks. You know that with her mom not being able to get up that she had to have urinated and had bowel movements on herself, did Kathy change her or clean up after her mom? NO!!!!!!!! The reports said the house was filthy,and garbage was strewn all over the living room. The report also said that her mom had open sores on her body. Was that taking care of her mom? NO!!!!!!!!! Why didn’t she call 911 and have someone come and pick her mom up and take her to the hospital or a nursing home? At least she would have been taken care of. This person needs to be treated the same way,and let her know how her poor old Mother felt.
Just as “knowing” has known this woman for years! I knew her many years ago and everything “knowing” says is true…Her mother took care of her for years and this is her repayment… she is and always has been a Narcissist!
I would do anything to have my mother here to take care of her.
This is so sad. Makes me wonder what the mother was saying to her. Like please help!!!
This woman is repulsive, have known her a very long time. She has never been a clean person. Always talked bad about her Mother. Complained constantly, about having to care of her mom. She deserves everything she gets. She whines, about any and everything, acting like she knows everything, and expects everyone to think she is perfect. God don’t love ugly, and she has now done the most horrific thing, abused her Mother. There was no honoring her mom. Now she has to live with what she has done
She should be in there with no bond, any one that could do that to her mother needs no special treatment what so ever!!
Unbelievable!
The Mother Layed In The Floor For 2 Weeks & She Felt NO NEED To Call For Help – What Planet Did This “Low-Life” Come From …
The daughter needs to be caged like an animal.
That is horrible! I cared for my mother for 25 years, until she died at 96 yrs. old. It can be a bit hard but but very rewarding. There is NO excuse for what this woman did! This is elder abuse and worse!