Delaware County

Delaware County Woman Charged with Mother's Death for Alleged Neglect

Ellyn Gottlieb allegedly failed to pay her mother's nursing home bill, then failed to take care of her mother, authorities said

A Delaware County woman who failed to pay for her mother's nursing care costs and spent money from the elderly woman's savings has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault after the mother died from suspected sepsis.

Patricia Gottlieb, 83, died March 12 at Westgate Hill Nursing Facility in Havertown, two months after Haverford Township police first went to her house on David Drive to investigate her well-being, according to the Delaware County district attorney's office.

Her daughter, Ellyn, who was living with Patricia Gottlieb, has been charged for allegedly causing her death through neglect.

After house calls Jan. 10-11, police eventually gained access to Gottlieb's house and found it full of refuse and human feces, the district attorney's office said in a release Tuesday.

Patricia Gottlieb, who suffered from dementia, was taken to Bryn Mawr Hospital and treated for "so many wounds and sores that they could not be counted," authorities said.

She was eventually transported to Broomall Manor Nursing Home, where she died. 

"The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was bacteremia, with probable sepsis due to multiple stage four ulcers and fistula," authorities said in a statement.

Ellyn Gottlieb has been charged with neglect of care-dependent person, aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, theft by unlawful taking and theft by deception.

The theft charges stem from allegations that Ellyn Gottlieb made unauthorized purchases in access of $88,000 using pension and social security payments that were supposed to go to her mother, according to authorities.

She spent the money all while her mother's nursing home debts rose to more than $22,000 through September 2017, financial records show. At that time, the daughter removed Patricia Gottlieb from nursing home care, authorities said.

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