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Tuesday, October 7, 2003

Authorities in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, are upset they can't bring caretaker abuse charges against two Indian men accused of allowing their 62-year-old relative to live in squalid conditions.

The woman is currently hospitalized after local police found her in a home without indoor plumbing. The woman, who suffers from lupus, reportedly weighed 64 pounds and her body was covered with animal waste.

The woman is a member of the Cherokee Nation but lives on land that would be under the jurisdiction of the Quapaw Tribe. The Bureau of Indian Affairs won't say whether it will bring charges against Chris Smith, 37, and Randy Smith, 41.

Get the Story:
Abuse prosecution blocked in Picher (The Daily Oklahoman 10/7)
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