Abusive daughter held her elderly mother captive and beat her for a week until mother’s smart tactics saved her life and placed her daughter behind bars
A woman, aged 52, was taken into custody for a disturbing crime against her elderly mother. The elder was allegedly confined and physically abused in their residence for a week. The situation changed dramatically when the mother came up with a clever plan to escape the abuse, resulting in her rescue.
Local media accessed an affidavit revealing the elderly woman’s smart tactics that guided the police to their home, uncovering the unsettling scene. Julia M., the accused, faces a felony charge of elder abuse, according to court documents.
Officers within the police department responded to a welfare check at the residence in early July. A passerby who had noticed a sign in the window reading “HELP 911” called the emergency dispatcher. When first responders arrived at the location, they found Julia’s mother, who confirmed the allegations of being locked up and abused by her daughter for the past week. Reports from WTVF detail some of the physical violence the mother endured, including arm twisting, slapping, and being struck with a tray. The responding officers found evidence of abuse, including visible bruises on the victim’s arms and legs. A neighbor interviewed by WSMV expressed surprise, stating that he was previously unaware that an elderly person lived at the residence.
“Surprising, it’s a quiet neighborhood so don’t really hear a lot going on. I didn’t actually even know there was an elderly person in there — we really don’t see the neighbors in that house too often,” the neighbor said as he pointed to Julia’s home. The neighbor praised the elderly victim for her resourcefulness in escaping the alleged abuse, expressing both admiration for her courage and distress at the situation. “It’s good on her to do that,” he said. “It’s terrible she had to resort to doing something like that. I hope she gets the help that she needs, gets the resources she needs, and recovers from all of this, it’s terrible. At least she’s in appropriate hands now and can get what she needs.”
After their arrival at the scene, the police arrested Julia, who was subsequently released the following day after posting a $6,000 bond. Court documents reveal that this is not Julia’s first legal entanglement. She was charged with misdemeanor domestic assault leading to bodily injury in April 2023, although the details of this charge remain unclear. Records also indicate that Julia faced similar charges in 2006 and 2022, but both cases were ultimately dismissed.
