Couple arrested after wife's father found 'beyond help,' dead, and 'sunken' into couch

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (TCN) -- A married couple was taken into custody over the weekend about two months after the wife's emaciated father was found dead and "sunken" into the couch surrounded by his own feces.

Vanderburgh County Jail records show Frederick Groves, 60, and Carmen Groves, 49, were both booked on charges of neglect of a dependent causing death, altering the scene of a death, and failure to report a dead body. Frederick Groves has also been charged with exploitation of a dependent or endangered adult.

According to the affidavit cited by the Evansville Courier & Press, on June 23, Frederick Groves contacted the Evansville Police Department and said the victim, 73-year-old Kenneth Rickenbaugh, died that day or the day prior at Groves' residence. Officials got to the home and reportedly noticed Rickenbaugh was "beyond help" because rigor mortis had already set in. He appeared emaciated and was found in the fetal position on the couch. His skin reportedly stuck to the fabric of the furniture.

WFIE-TV, which also cites the affidavit, says Rickenbaugh was "sunken into" the couch and its stuffing.

The Evansville Courier & Press reports the responding officer noted the house "smelled heavily of feces," but the floor "was moist as if it had just been mopped."

Frederick Groves allegedly told officers his wife mopped the floor because she wanted to clean dog feces "so first responders wouldn't step on it." Carmen Groves, however, reportedly said cold medicine had spilled onto the floor, and she wanted to mop it up.

According to the court documents, Frederick Groves reportedly said he "assumes Rickenbaugh just defecated and urinates on himself while lying on the couch," though he admitted he would regularly hear Rickenbaugh saying, 'Help. Help.'"

WEHT-TV reports Carmen Groves allegedly provided conflicting timelines about when she found her father deceased. She also reportedly believed her father was not disabled and used the restroom on his own when she and her husband weren't there.

According to the Evansville Courter & Press, Rickenbaugh collected an $800 Social Security check each month that Frederick Groves deposited. However, investigators reportedly found footage of Frederick Groves withdrawing large amounts of cash. Rickenbaugh's account had reportedly been "cleaned out."

Rickenbaugh's cause of death was determined to be cardiovascular disease with emphysema, failure to thrive, dehydration, and pressure sores as contributing factors, WEHT reports.

The detective who wrote the affidavit noted, "Carmen and Frederick Groves did not care for nor seek help for Rickenbaugh despite having voluntarily assumed care of him. They made no arrangements for him to use the restroom, eat or drink."

He continued, "Instead, they allowed Rickenbaugh to lay in his own urine and feces without accessible food or water for the days — and likely weeks — preceding his death."

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