A 92-year-old Arizona woman has been arrested and accused of fatally shooting her son who wanted to put her in an assisted living facility, authorities said Tuesday.
Anna Mae Blessing has been booked into jail on suspicion of one count each of first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.
Blessing was in a wheelchair at her initial court appearance Tuesday where her bond was set at $500,000 and a lawyer was being appointed to represent her.
Sheriff’s officials said Blessing’s 72-year-old son was found dead Monday at his home in Fountain Hills, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Phoenix.
The man’s name wasn’t immediately released.
Blessing had been living with her son and his girlfriend for about six months, according to court records.
She told authorities that she argued with her son Monday morning over the way she was being treated and was upset with him stating that he was going to place her in assisted living.
Blessing told detectives she got out two handguns she has had since the 1970s — one bought at a gun store and the other obtained from her late husband.
She concealed two pistols in the pockets of her robe before confronting her son in his bedroom and firing multiple shots at him with one handgun, records show.
The gun was dislodged from Blessing’s hand after a struggle with her son’s girlfriend, as well as the second weapon, authorities said.
The unidentified woman called authorities and Blessing was located on a recliner in the home and taken into custody.
(AP)
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23 Responses
Well I guess jail is a type of assisted living facility so mot sure what she gained.
no commets
She should be thrown in prison for the rest of her life
She’ll probably get life behind bars
Why is this article on THE YESHIVAWORLD Site????
Prison shall cost her a lot less money than an assisted living facility.
There are so many things I could say but none are printable. But I’m not telling my mom!
Look how life ends when not shomrei torah, no emunahy and bitachon, no working toward the next world! A goy remains a goy.
Yerushalmit, I’ll be glad to try to answer your questions, it’s possible you are new to the site. YWN posts news events, US and Israeli political happenings, NYC local news, and stories which affect both the Jewish Orthodox and non-Jewish world.
Jerugal, dont fool yourself. The Kollel lifestyle and generation after generation of large families needing support, necessitates two f/t workers, at least, which sadly doesn’t leave any time for attending to parents and grandparents. Our needy unhealthy older relatives are doomed.
So important in frum site?
AZOI do you know this from experience or you’re just making a prediction? The fact is, Bnei Torah understand the importance of taking care of parents and grandparents. They are busy serving Hashem all day and this is part of it.
All that I can think of is, how low can people fall?! ברוך שלא עשני גוי
I’m okay with all the above comments but do look at it through a different prospective and sadly one that is prevalent in our היילגע מחנה too!
How is it best to care for elderly parents! The מצוה of כיבוד אב ואם is to do best for them! What if, just what if, a facility is best for the children but the parent feels devastated and powerless about the thought! It’s really scary! It’s not always best to keep them at home nor is moving in with their children best and, while a facility might be easiest, the parent might feel destroyed.
JUST AN INTERESTING POINT!!!
Yisroel_H ,
Well said
Caring for elder parents is an integral part of what/who we are
Yisroel_H, true Torah Jews understand the importance of taking care of parents and grandparents- correct. Do I wish this applied to 100% of the frum community?- absolutely! Is there 100% frum participation and mitzvah of kibbud av v’em- sadly not, and I know many frum families who refuse or can’t take care of their parents. (understanding that we may never know/judge the full picture of one’s individual reasons or family history). Let’s not be in denial
UncleMo, I am thankful everyday that I was born a Jew too. Though it’s possible that it’s less common, tragedies of this nature sadly happen within our frum communities also. Let’s never forget the atrocious 2011 Brooklyn mutilation of Leiby Kletzky. Let’s not be in denial.
Yisroel_H is absolutely correct!
We serve Hashem with all 613 Mitzvos! We dont put Torah learning above Kibud Av Va’em.
Though this story was about a woman – closer to the end of her life, and goes and commits one of the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach.
Most elderly from Yidden at that age are striving towards the next world. Are mellowing with bad middos and lust for gashmiyus. Ok obviously not all, but true G-d fearing jews that is.
Have mercy on her, her son was just murdered
Apart from all the jokes (including mine), there is something about the whole idea that most of you don’t understand. Sometimes, a residential facility is the only answer, if a parent is totally incapable of taking care of her/himself. My sister took in her shvigger: she had Alzheimers, was doubly incontinent, & couldn’t be left alone for a minute. When she became really violent (a 250 lb woman attacking a 100lb one) she had to be put in a home. My sister visited almost every day – her son, an only child, hardly ever.
We just moved our elderly mother to her own apartment (which she bought) near my sister, in a custom designed block for the elderly, with 24 hour warden, recreational facilities, next to the shul; she is independent but not isolated or alone. Was mom happy? Not completely, but she is BH all there and understands that her physical frailty means she is at risk if something happened and she was alone. She is getting used to it, has made her apartment cozy and into a home, and has made friends. We all lived in different cities and now she has a daughter, grandchildren & great-grandchildren to fuss over her.
Don’t judge elderly children who have no choice but to institutionalize their even more elderly parents. I told my kids to shoot me if I get to the stage where I’m a burden.
“peh she’ossar peh sehittier”
i can see liberals saying: since she is the one who gave him life; when he becomes a burden , she may release him of that life. i know most of u agree with me that its insane. but if this was the opposite – if it was about a child doing it to their mother, then the liberals would be shouting she was abusing him….
Anyone who ever worked in a senior facility, can say without any doubt that theyd never want to live in one. Theyd rather be dead.
Of course in the rare cases where someone is so out of it that they endanger themselves or others, institutionalizing them is the only option. But, Anyone who ever worked in a senior facility, can say without any doubt that theyd never want to live in one. Theyd rather be dead.
sounds terrible. so what r the worst things there? perhaps yehudim gomlei chasadim, can start some volunteer org. to help in those areas