A Canyon Lake resident was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of attempted murder, torture, and dependent care abuse.
Around 3:45 p.m., Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station deputies assigned to Canyon Lake responded to a report of dependent care abuse in the 30100 block of Rim Rock Place.
According to authorities, deputies spoke with the victim’s doctor, who revealed that the victim, a paraplegic adult male reliant on 24-hour care and a ventilator to breathe, had been endangered. The doctor stated she had terminated the caretaker’s employment on January 6 and found that on January 7, the caretaker had disassembled the victim’s ventilator, causing the victim not to breathe, authorities said.
The suspect and live-in caretaker, identified as Richard David Emmons, a 55-year-old resident of Canyon Lake, was contacted by deputies at the residence and taken to the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station for further investigation.
Emmons was subsequently arrested for attempted murder, torture, and dependent care abuse.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Investigator Topete at the Lake Elsinore Sheriff’s Station at 951-245-3300.
