Cop's sister dead of malnutrition, neglect

YOUNGSTOWN

A former city police officer is indicted on a charge of failing to properly care for her ailing sister, who resided with her on the city’s North Side and weighed a mere 70 pounds when she died.

A Mahoning County grand jury Thursday indicted Barbara F. Copeland, 60, of Cordova Avenue, on a fourth-degree felony charge of failure to provide for a functionally impaired person.

The charge carries up to 18 months in prison and up to a $10,000 fine, upon conviction.

The single-count indictment says Copeland recklessly failed to provide treatment and care necessary to maintain the health or safety of her 67-year-old sister, Mary Louise Fields, resulting in serious physical harm to her.

The coroner’s office ruled Fields’ death natural, listing a stroke as the cause of death, with malnutrition, dehydration and mental illness as contributing factors.

Read more about the case in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com