Man accused of abusing, neglecting his 89-year-old mother

WAXHAW — A Waxhaw man is facing felony abuse and neglect charges after police allegedly discovered his 89-year-old mother in horrific living conditions.

Police said a bank teller at a Bank of America branch first alerted them to the alleged abuse after Mark May brought his elderly mother to the bank branch in January and she was too weak to leave the car to make the financial transaction.

The teller then called 911 and told the dispatcher, "She's in really, really bad health, but the last few weeks have been a whole lot worse."

Investigators said the teller had been monitoring the elderly woman's health as May had been repeatedly bringing her to the bank to withdraw thousands of dollars of cash from his mother's accounts.

"Mr. May has some drug issues. He apparently has become addicted to heroin and he was spending every last dime he could get," said Detective Bobby Haulk with Waxhaw police.

Police said after the teller's call, they went to May's mother's home for a welfare check and discovered the woman had been left alone in horrific living conditions.

"She couldn't get off the couch. She was lying in her own feces, couldn't get her medication. Dishes were piled everywhere, trash," Haulk said.

An ambulance took the woman to CMC-Union where she was admitted with severe dehydration and weighed just 87 pounds, according to investigators.

Police said after they removed the woman from her home, May disappeared until last Thursday, when an officer spotted his car in south Charlotte and made an arrest on the outstanding felony abuse and neglect warrant.

Neighbors remembered May's mother during healthier times, and told Channel 9 they were shocked by what police said was happening inside the home.

"If people can do that to their family members, I mean, that's not right," said neighbor Jacob Simpson.

May remains in the Union County jail.

WSOC