69YO Woman Drove Around All Day Trying To Kill Her Disabled 13YO Great-Granddaughter

[Sugar Cookie]

Deborah Collier, 69, stands accused of one count of attempted murder in the first degree, according to Volusia County court records. She is accused of trying to kill her 13-year-old disabled great-granddaughter and then herself.

On the day in question, deputies were asked to be on the lookout for a woman in a silver Chrysler Pacifica "deemed suicidal" after an all-caps "typed letter" with a typo was found at her residence, which read: "CREAMATION NO URN JUST BOX NO CELEBRATION MY LIFE SUCKED," according to the affidavit.

During the stop, the deputy noticed Collier's great-granddaughter, Sophia Abbott, 13, asleep in the front passenger seat of the car, according to the affidavit. The deputy noted the girl's stomach was "expanding and contracting, indicating normal breathing, and did not observe any other apparent signs of distress at this time."

"Deborah stated that Sophia was her grandchild and was sleeping," the charging document reads. "Deborah advised that Sophia is non-verbal, autistic, and unable to move on her own. Deborah further stated that if Sophia were awakened, she could become aggressive toward law enforcement."

The deputy arranged for backup to pick up Collier and take her to a hospital and for the defendant's husband to arrive and take the vehicle and their great-granddaughter home. Meanwhile, the deputy "periodically checked on Sophia, who remained asleep and was observed to be breathing normally each time he checked on her."

The next deputy to arrive, however, noticed "Sophia had white pill residue and purge all over her and the surrounding areas of the vehicle" and "urinated on herself," according to the affidavit.

While attempting to help the girl regain consciousness, the second deputy cleared the area and radioed for paramedics.

"Sophia was observed to be breathing normally but was totally unresponsive to stimulus," the charging document goes on.

The girl was eventually taken to a nearby hospital. Then, a third deputy "conducted a search of the vehicle in an effort to identify what Sophia may have ingested and located prescription medications inside a purse positioned behind the driver's seat," authorities say.

And law enforcement found another "typed" letter – again in all-caps – accompanying the pills, according to the affidavit.

SORRY IT HAD TO BE THIS WAY BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE NO WAY CAN SHE GO TO A HOME MY FAMILY HAS GONE TO HELL SO SORRY FOR NEVAEH PLEASE KEEP UP THE GREAT JOB PLEASE GO TO COLLEGE BE ALL U CAN PLEASE FOR

ME MIKE TAKE CARE OF HER MAYBE YOUR HEALTH WILL GET BETTER WITHOUT THE STRESS OF SOPHIA I LOVE YOU NEVAEH NOW U DON'T HAVE TO HELP WITH SOPHIA MY LIFE HAS BEEN HELL GOTTA DO THIS

During her custodial interview, Collier explained that Sophia was born with cerebral palsy and brain damage, while the girl's 17-year-old sister Nevaeh is "healthy" and "well-adjusted," according to the charging document. Both the defendant and her husband have been the sole guardians of the sisters since they were born, as their biological parents have no involvement in their upbringing.

"Sophia requires 24-hour care, is unable to walk, communicate normally, wears diapers, and is incapable of caring for herself in any way," the affidavit continues. "Sophia can 'scoot' along on the floor to move about the house and is able to use a tablet for watching videos and playing video games. Sophia has violent outbursts of anger which has caused physical injury to Deborah and [her husband] in the past. Sophia is also overweight, which has increased the difficulty in Deborah and [her husband's] ability to care for her."

As the interview continued, Collier went on to relay a story of increasingly dispiriting home life where her husband "is mean to her" and "a great rift in the family" has been caused due to the constant care required for Sophia, disagreements about what kind of care is best for her, and the physical toll providing such care exerts on her aging and injured great-grandparents, according to the affidavit.

"I hope she doesn't ever have to live without me," Collier allegedly said at one point, "nobody could handle or love her like I do."

As for the letters, Collier allegedly said the first one was "older," and she had typed it "while making final arrangements as a part of life planning," adding that she is "a planner" who "liked to have things in order."

Asked about the second letter found with the pills, the defendant allegedly admitted: "I wrote that yes," according to the affidavit.

Read rest of the article in link

Great-grandmother drove around all day trying to kill her 13-year-old great-granddaughter: Cops

"I hope she doesn't ever have to live without me," the defendant allegedly said at one point, "nobody could handle or love her like I do."

lawandcrime.com

 

[cubby]

I do feel sorry for Grandma and Grandpa, but grandma shouldn't have made a decision like this, even tho she thought that taking herself and Sophia out of the equation would help Nevaeh, who was left, she never considered how Nevaeh would feel about it. What if she felt guilty for not helping more or whatever reasons that most use to blame themselves for things they really had no control over.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

I do feel sorry for Grandma and Grandpa, but grandma shouldn't have made a decision like this, even tho she thought that taking herself and Sophia out of the equation would help Nevaeh, who was left, she never considered how Nevaeh would feel about it. What if she felt guilty for not helping more or whatever reasons that most use to blame themselves for things they really had no control over.

I think this family is incredibly dysfunctional - there is probably a long history of shitty parenting starting with her. Being a great grandmother to teenagers at 69 is not the norm.

 

[runninfawn]

and where was the grandmother of those kids??? she would be young enough that those kids could be her children so why let her mother take care of her kid's kids... hopefully nevaeh will break the cycle of having kids and letting someone else raise them ...... and well the greatgrandparents should have been smart enough that when a baby with special needs need a place to think about their age and that maybe right now while the child is still small they can handle it but as the child grows older and much heavier the physical demands will increase while their strenght and life span decreases so what happen to that, by then, young adult child and let someone with the training and the physical strenght take that child and concentrate on the older one they prob had since birth or soon after.........

 

[Sugar Cookie]

I want to be fair and say I don't know what resources Volusia County has for severely autistic individuals or if their are neighboring counties that do.... but grandma is only 69 and if she has no chronic health issues she could get her granddaughter situated and be enough of a presence that advocates for her in a group home, institution living situation that the girl would be well taken care of.

I think it was more about her wanting to end her own life and not thinking that anyone in "the family" would step up and ensure the care of her great granddaughter.

 

[elmgems]

Let's be real. The child would not be well taken care of in a group home.

 

[runninfawn]

Let's be real. The child would not be well taken care of in a group home.

that depends on the group homes and how families inter-act act with their child like how often they dropped in to say g'morning before work etc.. some friends i made while taking my s.w. courses chose to work at those group homes and yes i at times went to visit them unanounced (well also visit the more mobile clients as some seems to take to me) and not once did i see any clients not being taken care of... the workers were always on the move etc but bath and bed time was really something else wow i sure couldn't have done their work... but, and that is the biggy i thing, they were all smaller group homes with plenty of workers and parents that were also in their children's live and to me that was the amazing thing to see the parents of one client not only visit, talk, help feed, what ever it was at the time of the visit their child but also help another client or 2 out it was like the parents were the parents of every client there,, the size of the group home, the location like small city or town, i think makes a big dif also as nearly everyone knows everyone else so those group homes have to keep up their rep or be closed down...

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Let's be real. The child would not be well taken care of in a group home.

You cannot speak for all group homes/nursing homes. There are nursing homes that do have younger populations you just have to do your due diligence in finding one. You can get a tour of both a nursing home and a group home before you place a family member there.

that depends on the group homes and how families inter-act act with their child like how often they dropped in to say g'morning before work etc.. some friends i made while taking my s.w. courses chose to work at those group homes and yes i at times went to visit them unanounced (well also visit the more mobile clients as some seems to take to me) and not once did i see any clients not being taken care of... the workers were always on the move etc but bath and bed time was really something else wow i sure couldn't have done their work... but, and that is the biggy i thing, they were all smaller group homes with plenty of workers and parents that were also in their children's live and to me that was the amazing thing to see the parents of one client not only visit, talk, help feed, what ever it was at the time of the visit their child but also help another client or 2 out it was like the parents were the parents of every client there,, the size of the group home, the location like small city or town, i think makes a big dif also as nearly everyone knows everyone else so those group homes have to keep up their rep or be closed down...

This is a good example of what I was saying.... if grandma was a presence in the child's life she would not be mistreated or abused in the group home and if she was in any way grandma could step in and report it. Also just one family member be present can also ensure that the other residents are also being treated well.

Grandma was tired and wanted to end her life.... she either knew the remaining family members could not or would not take care of this girl.

The state will now step in and place the girl somewhere and may possible not allow grandma any contact with her at all .... which is only sad for the girl if this happens.

I don't agree with what grandma did but I don't think prison is the right place for her either. I still could see her attempting to take her own life at some point.

 

[elmgems]

Respectfully, we've seen plenty of cases here on DD of what happens to non-verbal girls in group homes. So, no, I don't believe any group home is better for a child who is loved and cared for. The kinder thing would have been Grandma's success.

 

[BuffettGirl]

I don't know on this one. Is she a mean old biddy, taking the most dramatic way out, or is she a sad, desperate woman that can see no other way out of this situation? I'm legit 50% sympathy for the situation and 50% pissed off at this so far...

 

[runninfawn]

I don't know on this one. Is she a mean old biddy, taking the most dramatic way out, or is she a sad, desperate woman that can see no other way out of this situation? I'm legit 50% sympathy for the situation and 50% pissed off at this so far...

just going by her pic i would she is drained out completely she looks sooooooo tired and worn out and also the fact that she is ageing fast and her strength (what ever is left of it) is draining fast and no respite in site she is in there 24/7 and her only help is a 17 y.o. that soon will either be on her own or in college so that help won't be there anymore... i could think of other solutions like trying to get help to pay for someone to come in and help with the girl's needs even if it ment sueing my own daughter and grand daughter for support etc but i am not in her shoes as she seems soooooo tired she can't think straight but regardless of the temp solution that girl would end up in a home as she prob will outlive her greatgrand parents

 

[BuffettGirl]

just going by her pic i would she is drained out completely she looks sooooooo tired and worn out and also the fact that she is ageing fast and her strength (what ever is left of it) is draining fast and no respite in site she is in there 24/7 and her only help is a 17 y.o. that soon will either be on her own or in college so that help won't be there anymore... i could think of other solutions like trying to get help to pay for someone to come in and help with the girl's needs even if it ment sueing my own daughter and grand daughter for support etc but i am not in her shoes as she seems soooooo tired she can't think straight but regardless of the temp solution that girl would end up in a home as she prob will outlive her greatgrand parents

I can see that possibility in her photo. Sadly, I can also see the potential for a mean old (maybe a drunk or an ex-drunk?) granny in there too. There's a lot more of that in Florida than I thought there could ever possibly be in one state!