A 55-year old Meridian man has been charged with burglary and abuse of a vulnerable adult –- both felonies -- after police say he was caught by a home surveillance camera.
Darrell Demotte was arrested without incident early Friday morning at his home in the 900 block of East Carlton Street in Meridian.
According to Meridian Police Deputy Chief Tracy Basterrechea, Demotte’s neighbor is a 75-year-old woman with dementia.
“The victim’s nephew became suspicious that the suspect may be taking advantage of her, so he installed a video camera in his aunt’s home,” Basterrechea said.
The video shows Demotte asking the victim to come help him with his elderly mother. Once the victim is out of her house, “Demotte returns, turns on a gas stove, and searches through the victim’s purse,” Basterrechea explained. “We believe he turned the gas on simply to further manipulate the victim and perhaps play into her dementia.”
“The nephew was very smart in installing the video camera. Adults cannot be present all the time with an elderly relative who they believe is being abused or victimized,” Basterrechea said.
He added the two-month investigation also discovered bank transactions with the victim’s debit card in which “Demotte would withdraw money from the victim’s account for himself.”
Demotte is scheduled to make his initial court appearance Friday.
