Woman, 78, Charged in Beating of Her Retarded Brother, 70
<i> Associated Press</i>
PORTLAND, Me. —
A 78-year-old woman has been indicted on a charge of aggravated assault for beating her 70-year-old mentally retarded brother with the metal leg of a walker because he refused to eat his breakfast.
Fifty-nine years after she promised her dying mother that she would care for Arnold Avella, Lucille Downey apparently snapped from the strain, authorities said.
“I think she just became overwhelmed,” said Detective Peter Wentworth.
The beating is alleged to have occurred on Oct. 20 in the siblings’ Portland apartment.
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