Neighbors of 88-year-old Janet Bastendorf, say they haven't seen her in months. Kris Petrosky lives across the street. "I haven't scene her for a couple of years, I know that she was hospitalized and then staying at home and her daughter was caring for her."
Bastendorf's 66-year-old daughter, Janice Harmes, is charged with her death. Police say Harmes is charged with third degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and neglect of care of a dependent person.
"I talked to the daughter all the time, she came the door and stuck her head out. I built that ramp next door.
The deceased had lived on this quiet street in East Lampeter Township for more than 40 years." Said Richard Cornish, who lived next door to Bastendorf for 20 years.
The coroner says sepsis, which is caused by infection, killed the elderly woman. She also had a large ulcer from an extended time in one position.
The death happened back on January 7th, an autopsy determined death was a direct result of the daughter allowing her mother to sit in a chair wearing a diaper filled with feces and urine without moving for about ten days.
Neighbors say the daughter had recently been spending most of her time at her mothers house. She had been living at a house in Lancaster City and received several citations for poor care of the house and yard. That house is now condemned.
Even though neighbors were aware of the poor conditions at the East Lampeter house, they had no idea of how dire they were for Bastendorf.
Janice Harmes is in the Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $150,000 bail.
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A Lancaster County woman is facing charges for the death of her elderly mother.
East Lampeter Township Police say Janice Eileen Harmes, 66, is facing multiple charges for the death of her elderly mother Janet Bastendorf, 88.
Police say Harmes was the sole caretaker of her care-dependent mother and she failed to provide treatment or care for the victim.
According to a press release, Bastendorf died from sepsis, which is a condition caused by infection as well as a decubitus ulcer. Harmes allowed her mother to sit in a chair wearing a diaper filled with feces and urine without moving for 10 days.
The Lancaster County Coroner's office ruled the death as a homicide.
Harmes faces charges including murder of the third degree, felony neglect of a care-dependent person and misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person.
She is currently in Lancaster County Prison with $150,000 bail.
