Inset: Tyrossale Peak (Richmond County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The 2900 block of Rollingwood Drive in Augusta, Georgia, where Tyrossale Peak lived with her mother (Google Maps).
A Georgia woman who is accused of neglecting her elderly and disabled mother so badly that the 82-year-old was found stuck to her own bed due to untreated bedsores has been indicted on a felony murder charge after initially being arrested for neglect, according to court records.
Tyrossale Peak, 54, was arraigned Tuesday in Richmond County after being indicted earlier this month on felony murder and neglect to a disabled adult charges for the death of her mother, Lillie Sapp, who was found stuck to her mattress during a welfare check in December 2024.
Online records show Peak was taken into custody on Friday after a grand jury issued a warrant for her arrest on July 10.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
Deputies responded to Peak’s home on Dec. 30, 2024, in the 2900 block of Rollingwood Drive in Augusta, where her mom had been staying, to perform a welfare check on Sapp after receiving a tip. Upon their arrival, cops allegedly found Sapp in bed — her skin stuck to the mattress — with a strong smell of bodily fluid present and roaches everywhere, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
The 82-year-old was apparently incoherent as authorities worked to remove her body and get her medical attention. Emergency workers and even firefighters were called in to assist with her removal, which involved cutting away part of the mattress. Sapp was transported to Wellstar MCG Health, where she was originally listed as being in stable condition. The Augusta Press reported Tuesday that Sapp died three weeks later.
According to Peak’s indictment, which was obtained by the local outlet, Peak “willfully deprived” the victim of health care and shelter “to the extent that the health and well-being of Lillie Mae Sapp was jeopardized.” The document alleges that Sapp’s wounds and improper bedding practices, including sheets covered in feces and bugs, led to deadly infections in her lungs and bones, according to the Augusta Press.
Local ABC affiliate WJBF reported in January that Sapp was supposed to be in hospice care but was removed in June and placed in Peak’s home for unexplained reasons.
According to her arrest report, which was obtained by Law&Crime, Peak stated during interviews with police and EMS that Sapp had “lost a bit of weight but she was fine.” Peak claimed that the last time her mom saw a medical professional was in June, when she was removed from hospice.
“Peak stated to EMS that she feeds Sapp every morning and makes sure that she drinks two to three Ensures a day,” the arrest report says, citing a responding officer. “I walked into the kitchen area and found the kitchen to be infested with roaches,” the officer said. “The sink was overflowing with dirty dishes all over.”
Authorities say Peak personally discontinued her mother’s hospice care and failed to provide her own adequate forms of treatment, as well as fluids and proper nutrition, leading to the alleged elder abuse. It’s unclear why her mom was in hospice.
