A Florida woman is facing attempted murder charges after authorities say she tried to kill her great-granddaughter, who has cerebral palsy, amid mounting stress from caregiving responsibilities.
Deborah Collier, 69, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies began searching for Collier after a suicide note was found at her home in DeLand, Florida, on Monday, Dec. 29. WESH reported that the note was first discovered by family members.
Authorities later located Collier during a traffic stop. Her 13-year-old great-granddaughter was found unconscious in the passenger seat, deputies allege. Collier reportedly told officers the girl was asleep, but deputies observed white pill residue on the child and noted that she was unresponsive.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies found prescription medication bottles in Collier’s purse, along with another typed note stating that she intended to end both her life and her great-granddaughter’s due to the strain the situation had placed on the family.
The girl’s condition is currently stable after she was allegedly given pills intended to kill her, authorities said.
Investigators said the child requires round-the-clock care because of her disabilities and that Collier and her husband have served as her sole guardians since birth. The ongoing demands of caregiving, officials noted, had caused significant stress within the household.
WESH reported that Collier’s husband suffers from a heart condition with symptoms that are aggravated by stress.
Police allege Collier told investigators she did not want the child placed in an assisted living facility and believed no one would care for her as well as family. Authorities say those concerns ultimately led her to plan what they described as an attempted murder-suicide.
It remains unclear whether Collier has entered a plea or hired an attorney.
