Darlene Huntington was the primary caregiver for Margaret Brown, 75, who had become dehydrated and malnourished and died in April 2002. According to court documents, the victim was living in deplorable conditions. When medic personnel arrived at Brown's home, they found her lying on the floor in a fetal position. The house was full of filth, with garbage, urine and feces present throughout.

The case has been under investigation by Kirkland Police, culminating in the arrest of Huntington on Monday.

King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng described the case as one of the worst cases involving neglect of an elderly person in King County. "There is no excuse for this conduct. A caregiver's deliberate indifference to the suffering of their patient is a crime," Maleng said.

In 2001, Maleng established an Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit within the King County Prosecutor's Office. Senior Deputy Prosecutor Page Ulrey is responsible for prosecuting all crimes against the elderly. Ulrey assisted Kirkland Police with the current investigation on Huntington. She provided additional assistance with search warrants that were served during the investigation.

Huntington, 56, will be arraigned on July 16 in King County Superior Court. She remains out of custody after posting $100,000 bail. If convicted of manslaughter in the first degree, she could be sentenced to 6 ½ to 8 ½ years in prison.

Updated: July 9, 2003