Crime
Daughter Accused of Locking Mother With Dementia in Bedroom and Draining Her Life Savings
A Florida woman already facing charges for allegedly locking up and neglecting her elderly mother is now accused of stealing the 78-year-old’s life savings.
NBC Miami reported that Janet Edwards, 49, of Hialeah, was arrested on Friday, June 5, and hit with new charges, including exploitation of an elderly person, grand theft from a person 65 or older, organized scheme to defraud, and identity theft.
An arrest warrant obtained by Law&Crime states Edwards used her power of attorney to sell her mother’s home for $625,000. More than $462,000 in net proceeds was deposited into the victim’s bank account, but over $250,000 was later funneled into Edwards’ own accounts, WPLG reported.
She also allegedly spent more than $24,000 of her mother’s money on a pickup truck.
Investigators say Edwards forged her mother’s signature on more than $15,000 in life insurance payouts. She allegedly called the insurance company and impersonated her mother during phone calls.
Edwards was first arrested in October 2025 after her own children reported the alleged abuse, as reported by Local10.
Her son told police he stopped by the home and found his grandmother locked in a bedroom with no electricity, lying on an air mattress in soiled “Pampers with feces in her hands,” the original arrest affidavit states, Law&Crime reported in 2025. She was released on bond and ordered by the court to stay away from her mother at the time, per NBC6.
Edwards’ adult daughter also told investigators she witnessed the alleged abuse.
According to the affidavit, she provided police with text messages from Edwards that included photos of her grandmother holding feces.
When questioned by investigators, Edwards said her mother had been diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and “does not recognize anyone anymore.”
According to the affidavit, Edwards said she did not clean her mother after she soiled herself because she was “upset or frustrated.”
Police also noted that Edwards’ son had been removed from her care at age 14 due to child abuse allegations investigated by the Department of Children and Families.
Edwards is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade County on a $55,000 bond.
