(Kenosha County Sheriff)
SOMERS, Wis. – A Kenosha man has been charged with negligent abuse of an at-risk individual after deputies found his disabled uncle lying incoherent, half-naked, and surrounded by feces in their shared home.
Robert Jeremy Warden, 37, appeared in court Tuesday and was charged with one count of negligently subjecting an at-risk individual to abuse—specifically, conditions not likely to cause bodily harm. The charge is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. He was released on bond and is due back in court on July 25.
According to the criminal complaint, a Kenosha County sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to Warden’s residence on 61st Avenue around 2:45 p.m. on July 1 after Adult Protective Services received a concerning report. Warden’s uncle, James Michael Somers, 63, had reportedly locked himself in his bedroom and was refusing to take his medications.
Warden, who identified himself as Somers’ caregiver, let the deputy into the apartment, which immediately smelled strongly of feces and urine. He said he hadn’t seen or spoken to Somers in about a week. When asked about Somers’ mental state, Warden admitted he had stopped administering his uncle’s medications after Somers, who has Parkinson’s disease, tried to bite him.
“So I just stopped giving him his medications, which I know I shouldn’t have,” Warden reportedly told the deputy.
When the deputy opened Somers’ bedroom door—unlocked despite Warden’s earlier claims—he found Somers lying on the floor, naked from the waist down, incoherent, emaciated, and shaking. The room was strewn with feces and smelled strongly of urine. An empty water bottle sat on the bedside table, and no signs of recent food consumption were visible. A hospital bracelet marked “Fall Risk” dated June 10 was still on Somers’ wrist.
Deputies observed that Somers had not been taken to recent doctor’s appointments, and his medications had not been properly managed. The pill organizer held just one day’s dose, and the prescription bottles indicated he was to take several medications daily. Warden acknowledged he was supposed to be assisting his uncle with his daily medication regimen.
Warden also said he had drafted paperwork to become his uncle’s power of attorney, but it had never been signed. He expressed frustration over the lack of institutional support and said he had spoken with crisis services about placing his uncle in a facility but had not succeeded.
Emergency responders on scene recognized Somers from a prior incident on June 10. They noted that he was typically verbal—unlike his current state.
Warden reportedly told the deputy, “We just do our own thing,” in describing the living arrangement. He also admitted he had not offered Somers food or water in recent days.
The criminal complaint paints a disturbing picture of ongoing neglect despite clear signs that Somers was no longer capable of self-care and was wholly reliant on his nephew for basic needs.
Warden’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 25.
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One Response
If authorities check into the state of the uncle’s finances, I’m betting they’ll find a motive.