BEAUMONT, Texas — Port Arthur Police are investigating the death of a Port Arthur woman last Friday as a case of “injury to the elderly.”
Alan Roy Hartzel, 46, was arrested on Friday, February 21, 2020, in connection with the death of the woman, according to jail records.
The mother has been identified as 75-year-old Jean Gordan Hartzel.
Alan Hartzel is being held in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on a $500,000 bond. He’s charged with “injury to the elderly,” according to jail records.
Port Arthur Police officers were called by medics to a home in the 2900 block of 5th Street on Friday, February 21, 2020, and when they arrived they found that the mother showed “signs of severe neglect,” according to a news release from the Port Arthur Police Department.
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Jean Gordan Hartzel was taken by ambulance to a Southeast Texas hospital where she was pronounced dead, the release said.
Detective Mike Hebert said Alan Hartzel called for an ambulance at around 1 p.m. Friday. Medics called for police as soon as they arrived. Officers with the Criminal Investigations Division of the Port Arthur Police Department could tell right away a crime had been committed, according to Hebert.
"Our investigators have discussed this and between all of us we have never seen such a case of neglect in our careers, several firefighters said the same thing," Hebert said.
It's the worst case of neglect he's ever seen in 30 years of law enforcement. Alan Hartzel was interviewed and arrested for injury to the elderly. Hebert says it's a first degree felony because investigators believe it was intentional.
Alan Hartzel was his mother's sole caregiver, and the only family she had in the area. Hebert said other family members were interviewed, and no one else is expected to be charged.
Jeanette Guillory moved in to the Hartzel's neighborhood about 30 years ago. She and Alan Hartzel's mother, Jean Hartzel, became good friends.
"We would stand up on the sidewalk and talk for hours and hours and hours. She would also walk across the street and sit under the carport and we would talk and talk and talk. She was a very good person, one of the best you can ask for in this whole neighborhood," Guillory said.
Guillory says Alan Hartzel has lived with his mom since she moved in. She says he had problems like everybody else but was one of the nicest young men she knew.
"I can't believe that he did not do the proper care on his mom. From the young man that I knew, and he's telling us constantly he's doing this for mom, mom had him up all night, he didn't get to sleep because he was taking care of mom. I expected to see mom in better conditions than that, " Guillory said.
Guillory says Alan Hartzel wouldn't allow anyone inside the home to see his mom, and wouldn't let anyone help him. She had a feeling something like this might happen.
Guillory says he posted on his Facebook Monday that he needed something to put on someone for a rash. She was sitting in her house last Friday when her husband told her 911 had been called to Jean's house.
"When she was brought out the house on that day those were not rashes on her body, not by a long shot. She was in deplorable condition to where I was sick. The ems's that came over, they were sick of what they saw," Guillory explained.
It's a sight she'll never forget.
"It will forever hurt because I can look at you and envision what I saw. I can talk to you and envision what I saw, and that's not the way to treat your mother or anyone," Guillory said.
She says Jean cared for people and animals like none other. When they put her in the ambulance, Guillory said she had a bad feeling.
"I knew for some reason she wasn't going to make it. She has these pretty blue eyes and they were no longer blue. Her pupils was all the way up," Guillory said.
Guillory says she stayed back to talk to detectives while Jean Hartzel was taken to the hospital. She says she went to check on her as soon as possible. Once she got there, a nurse broke the horrific news.
"She said 'well, she died peacefully.' I said, 'no, she died in pain,'" Guillory said. "I have been sick ever since this has happened to Miss Jean, and I know to God, she would not have wanted to die that way. It hurts."
Guillory feels her son thought he was doing the right thing. She believes Jean Hartzel would still be her today if her son had just asked for help.
Detective Hebert says Port Arthur has a large senior population, and they hope others will step up if they believe anyone is being mistreated.
"Neighbors really watch out for neighbors here in this city, and we certainly would hope that if a neighbor sees the abuse of one of our seniors that they would contact us immediately." Hebert said.
An autopsy has been ordered and police are awaiting the results.
From a Port Arthur Police Department news release…
On 2-21-2020 at approximately 1 pm, Officers of the Port Arthur Police Department responded to the 2900 block of 5th Street in reference to a request by emergency medical services who were treating an elderly female white at the scene.
Upon arrival, Officers found the elderly victim to show signs of severe neglect.
The victim was then transported to a local hospital and a short time later was pronounced deceased.
An arrest has been made in this case and investigators are waiting for autopsy results.
This incident is currently under investigation by the Criminal Investigations Division of the Port Arthur Police Department.
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