Janet Edwards, 49, of Hialeah, Florida, is facing multiple felony charges after police allege she exploited her elderly mother suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease — draining the 78-year-old's life savings while subjecting her to severe neglect inside a locked bedroom.
Background
Edwards had power of attorney over her mother, who has been diagnosed with both dementia and Alzheimer's disease. According to an arrest warrant obtained by Law&Crime, Edwards allegedly took advantage of her position as the victim's daughter and caregiver to commit extensive financial exploitation while simultaneously neglecting the woman's basic needs.
The investigation began after authorities responded to reports from Edwards' own children, who witnessed the alleged neglect firsthand. Edwards' adult son told police he stopped by their shared residence in May 2025 to check on his grandmother. When he opened her bedroom door, he found her "in Pampers with feces in both of her hands," according to the arrest affidavit.
The son allegedly asked Edwards to clean her mother up, but she refused and told him the victim needed to "learn" her lesson after repeated incidents like this one, the document states. Police say the bedroom door was locked from the outside and the woman was laying on an air mattress with no electricity in the room.
Edwards' adult daughter also reported instances of neglect and abuse to local authorities, providing text messages she received from Edwards that showed her grandmother holding feces. "[Edwards] wrote in the messages she smelled s— and was going back to bed," according to police.
The Charges
According to online court records, Edwards faces charges of elderly exploitation, grand theft from a person 65 or older, organized scheme to defraud, identity theft, neglect of an elderly or disabled adult, and battery on a person 65 or older.
The financial exploitation alleged against Edwards is extensive. Police say she sold the victim's home and received more than $460,000 from the sale alone. She allegedly moved more than $250,000 of those funds into her own bank accounts and spent over $24,000 of her mother's money to purchase a pickup truck for personal use.
Edwards is also accused of forging her mother's signature on more than $15,000 in life insurance payouts — allegedly posing as her mother during phone calls with the insurance company. "The investigation has determined that the subject used her position of trust as the victim's daughter and caregiver to exploit her," the warrant states. "The subject took advantage of the victim's advanced age, age-related infirmities, and severe cognitive impairments to unlawfully and permanently deprive the victim of her life savings by committing acts of fraud and identity theft for subject's own personal gain and benefit."
When questioned by police about why she refused to clean her mother after she soiled herself, Edwards allegedly said it was "because she was upset or frustrated." She gave this same explanation for telling her son that the victim needed to learn a lesson. Police say Edwards denied ever slapping or hitting the victim.
Key Takeaways
- Edwards is charged with six offenses including elderly exploitation, grand theft from a person 65 or older, organized scheme to defraud, identity theft, neglect of an elderly or disabled adult, and battery on a person 65 or older
- Police allege she sold her mother's home for more than $460,000, transferred over $250,000 to her own accounts, and spent $24,000+ on a pickup truck
- Edwards allegedly forged her mother's signature on more than $15,000 in life insurance payouts
- The victim's bedroom was locked from the outside, and she was found with feces in both hands by her grandson who reported it to authorities
- Edwards' children have been sources of information for police, including text messages documenting alleged neglect
What's Next
Edwards is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade County on a $55,000 bond. She will face prosecution on all charges in Miami-Dade Circuit Court. The case remains under investigation by Hialeah Police Department detectives who worked with the State Attorney's Office to build the complex financial exploitation and neglect case against the accused caregiver.