Left to right: Enrique Navedo, Loy La Pierre (St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office).
A Florida man is accused of transferring ownership of an elderly woman’s home into his name while allegedly abusing and neglecting the victim with help from a caregiver.
Enrique Navedo, 43, and Loy Lynn La Pierre, 58, tormented the elderly female victim at her home in St. Lucie County while Navedo attempted to swindle her out of her property through a quitclaim deed, according to a police press release.
“During interviews, the victim described being denied food, restricted from moving freely inside her home, and forced to use the restroom outdoors,” the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office says. “She was also made to shower in a small tent with a garden hose, providing only cold water and no temperature control.”
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Authorities were notified in July that a complaint was made to the Florida Department of Children and Families about the victim being physically abused and neglected by Navedo and La Pierre, according to the sheriff’s office. An investigation was opened and detectives went to speak to the elderly woman to see what was going on.
During interviews, police learned that the victim allegedly suffered from a “chronic, untreated wound that exposed internal tissue and bone,” as well as numerous other medical conditions caused by “prolonged neglect,” per cops.
“Further investigation revealed [Navedo] had fraudulently transferred ownership of the victim’s residence into his name,” the sheriff’s office says. The quitclaim deed that Navedo allegedly used appeared to have been backdated and filed more than a year after its alleged signing, according to police.
A quitclaim deed is a legal document that “quickly transfers real estate ownership without guaranteeing a clear title,” according to Florida law firm Alper Law.
Navedo is facing charges of “fraud-swindle-obtain property $50,000 or more” and abuse of an elderly or disabled adult without great bodily harm. La Pierre is charged with abuse of an elderly or disabled adult without great bodily harm.
Both are being held at the St. Lucie County Jail on bond.
