Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — June 25, 2025 — Two Jonesboro residents have been accused of neglecting an elderly victim for over a year, to the point of requiring hospitalization.
While standing before Judge David Boling on Wednesday, 50-year-old Tonya Richens and 71-year-old George Smith were each charged with one count of abuse of an adult – serious injury, substantial risk of death.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on June 18, officers were notified by EMS personnel regarding the abuse of an elderly victim who’d been transported to the hospital under emergency conditions. EMS staff told officers the victim was covered in urine and feces and had several large, open wounds consistent with bed sores, suggesting a pattern of long-term neglect.
“Hospital staff emphasized that the presence of urine and feces in prolonged contact with these wounds posed a serious risk of systemic infection and other life-threatening complications,” the affidavit said.
Hospital staff added that the wounds were consistent with a lack of basic hygiene and medical care.
When officers spoke with the victim at the hospital, they identified their caregivers at Richens and Smith. The victim said Richens moved into their home around May 2024 to serve as a live-in caregiver. Smith assisted with this periodically since 2024, the affidavit said, but he moved in with Richens and the victim a month before EMS were called.
The victim said Richens did not pay rent or contribute to household expenses and that her sole responsibility was to provide care. The victim added that Smith moved in due to an injury Richens sustained to her foot/leg.
During Richens’s time living with the victim, the victim was largely bedridden and dependent on assistance for movement and hygiene. The affidavit said Richens frequently became angry at the victim, yelling and refusing to help with basic needs.
The victim told officers Richens would leave them lying in their own waste for days at a time, refusing to enter the room or assist. Smith helped when Richens was willing to assist the victim, the affidavit said.
Two weeks before officers responded, both Richens and Smith were attempting to clean the victim when they noticed the condition of the victim’s bed sores. The affidavit said they refused to provide further assistance, not cleaning or treating the wounds or seeking medical help, even after the victim requested it.
“This pattern of willful neglect continued until June 18, 2025, when the victim demanded that an ambulance be called,” the affidavit said. Richens reportedly made the call to EMS.
A bench warrant was issued for Smith and Richens due to victim’s condition and statements, as well as medical assessments. They were arrested June 24 at 4:18 p.m., according to online jail records.
Smith and Richens were ordered to have no contact with the victim. Boling set bond at $75,000 cash or surety for both. Their next court date is July 31, and they’re being held in the Craighead County Detention Center.
