Snow Shoe woman pleads no contest in 'horrific' elder abuse case

CENTRE COUNTY, Pa (WJAC) — A Snow Shoe woman who was charged last year in what police described as a "horrific" case of elder abuse appeared in Centre County court Friday where she pleaded no contest to a charge of neglecting care of a dependent person.

Last February, troopers arrested Loretta Stokes-Mcclusick following a months-long investigation into the "horrific" abuse of an 84-year-old woman.

Investigators say the victim was transported to Mounty Nittany Medical Center in 2022 with "extremely severe injuries," including an extreme loss of weight and the "lowest blood pressure ever seen for a patient in the hospital's emergency room."

According to search warrants obtained by 6 News, nurses told police that they overheard emergency responders, who brought the woman to the hospital, say that they found the victim in a wheelchair, alone, in her front yard.

Police say the victim was "near death" and had to be admitted to the ICU.

During Friday's hearing, Stokes-Mcclusick also pleaded no contest to a second charge of financial exploitation, as authorities say she is also accused of stealing $2,000 from the victim.

Stokes-Mcclusick is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.